Darkness Within
by Stormzzz
Summary: Sequel to 'The Forgotten House'. Brendan and Ste are up against supernatural forces once again,when the darkness they once battled seeks revenge and they find themselves trapped in a museum of horrors. Spooky fic for Halloween. Rated M
1. Chapter 1

Sequel to my other spooky fic 'The Forgotten House'. For StendanMoustashe who has been waiting patiently for me to write it. And for PatriciaJessic who gave me the idea of re visiting a few years down the line. :D

No idea how many chapters it will have,hope you like the story. :) xx

Warning: This is a spooky fic, expect scary scenes, angst, supernatural content.  
Just for spooky fun with Halloween around the corner.

* * *

Darkness Within.

It had been five years since the house had been destroyed. And yet the stories of the forgotten house still were told within the playgrounds of schools, amongst adults over weekly coffee mornings, even the local newspaper wrote an article about the strange goings on when the estate was being torn down.

Statements from eyewitnesses had told of strange apparitions and ghostly gusts of wind that appeared from nowhere. One witness had spoke of a child and two adults wandering around, but whenever they tried to speak to them they'd just disappear. People had began to act in ways out of character and when approached about it, complained of feeling something unnatural around them, a darkness that people feared, a darkness they all waited to happen to them.

For Ste Brady his life as he knew it had changed since the days he spent there. The nightmares started up again when the house was demolished, and when they discovered the golden box and put it on display in the local museum strange occurrences had plagued the village of Hollyoaks. Of course Ste, Brendan and the others had tried to explain it as a coincidence, but Ste knew deep down there was more too it.

It became a reoccurring thing for Ste, a gift some might say. He called it for what it was the darkness within. He dreamt about it, the trapped entity, the one who still seeked him, craved his soul. Ste still felt its strength and pull it had once had on him, the hunger. It felt like it was back the dreams were so vivid.

There was another change for Ste though, something he hadn't expected. The little girl who had once been Ste's saviour had now become his spirit guide. Protected him, warned him that it was trying to find a way out of the box that sealed itself shut. Ste and Brendan spoke often about the thing they dreaded the most,worried what they would do if that box was ever opened again.

* * *

Ste woke up in a trance like state, his eyes opened quickly, glazing over and lifeless. He moved both legs out from under the duvet and walked around to the middle of the room,swaying slightly on the spot, his breathing turned harsher, slowly becoming more visible as it left his mouth. He moved his arm up and pointed with his shaking finger towards the ceiling.

He knew where he was and his surroundings, he couldn't see,just feel and do nothing to stop what his body was doing. The room began to turn wintry cold, Ste's breathing turned to iced crystals as it left his mouth. As the dark apparition moved close by, deathly silent turning the air an icy cold, he hadn't seen it yet. It made sure of that as it circled the celling above him waiting.

It had him paralysed as soon as the snow like crystals covered over the exposed skin, Ste could do nothing but feel it happen with eyes widened in fear. Across his arms and down his chest a white icy sheen developed there moulding itself across him. Ste didn't move or shiver; he couldn't do anything but point up to the ceiling. His mind still in a trance like state,body still covering in a snow like substance.

Brendan shivered in the bed pulling the cover up over himself trying to get warm, his body felt a chill rise up in it. Brendan stroked his tongue over his moustashe and felt ice there, it roused him from his sleep. Moving his arm up his fingers traced along it, jolting them away at the spike of pain in the tips. The hair was stiff and extremely cold to touch.

He moved his other arm across and instinctively felt for Ste who wasn't there. And that had Brendan moving and sitting bolt upright in bed. The room was darkened; still middle of the night and the only light was from the street lamps that shone through the cracks of the curtains. With that he saw a sliver of light bounce off something in the middle of the room. Brendan reached over to the side of him shivering uncontrollably now as the temperature had dropped considerably.

The light switched on and the bulb exploded making the glass hit Brendan covering him in hot shards and it stung, the glass had been very hot to the touch, even though it hadn't been lit more than a second. The light had given him all he needed to see though, Ste was the something stood in the middle of the room and the sight had been harrowing.

Brendan rushed to the main switch, the apparition quickly dispersed when it rushed around Brendan and he felt a wind rush past him he gasped with fear. Brendan cried in pain seeing Ste stood in the room arm stretched up to the ceiling, covered in what looked like pure ice.

Brendan rushed as fast as his freezing legs could carry him, and they were hurting so bad now he winced and grabbed the duvet cover, yanking it off the bed with all the strength he could muster and wrapped Ste up in it tightly. He didn't move all stiff and creaking as the ice crystals broke off him.

Brendan rubbed hard with his hands over him trying to bring back some life into Ste, as his body crumbled of the ice he fell limp in Brendan's arms. His arm fell back down and Brendan carried him in his arms out of the freezing bed room and into the lounge. He sat there cradling Ste kissing over his exposed face, the only thing not covered except for one of his feet that was protruding out.

_"Steven"_ Brendan whispered into Ste's ear and kissed him there trying to warm him up with his lips, but they too had turned the blue shade Ste's were coloured.

_"Wake up baby"_ Brendan choked back a sob. _"Not again, Steven, please"_

Brendan closed his eyes and knew what they were up against;it had been building up for a long time. He felt helpless in that moment, and moved his hands over the thick duvet to try and heat up Ste as much as he could. Ste was still breathing just not responding to Brendan, he stroked his hair and ice drops fell out of it onto the floor. Brendan pressed his lips to Ste's and kissed him moving his tongue inside, it was warm in Ste's mouth and that gave him some hope as he stroked lovingly against him.

_"Hey, where's my kiss back?"_ Brendan teased into Ste's ear _"Not like ye to hold back"_

Brendan moved his hand under the duvet to check Ste's body and although it was still cold it was getting warmer now. He moved his hand down Ste's skin and stroked warmth over him,clinging Ste against his body. _"Come on Steven,I know ye can hear me"_

After a while Ste's body warmed up more, and the pink colour began to return to his cheeks, his hair had been rid of the crystals now. Brendan was still stroking Ste, anywhere he could get his hands on as the heat travelled back into his body.

_"Steven?"_ Brendan saw his eyelids move finally, he sighed with a huge relief. Brendan stroked over Ste's boxers and then he moved a little making Brendan smile, he stroked there longer until Ste's pink cheeks had flushed, and his eyes had began to open properly.

_"Bren...?"_

_"Thank god Steven, ye need to pack this in ye know!" _Brendan kissed Ste in desperation taking both their breaths away.

_"Why are we sat on the sofa you rubbing my lap while I am wrapped up in a duvet?"_ Ste scrunched his eyebrows up in confusion

_"Now there's the million dollar question!" _Brendan laughed_ "I'm trying to warm ye up!"_

_"OH, right then, well it's working, I feel very hot, can ya move your hand a little more...yeah that's it"_ Ste smiled, but Brendan shook his head in disbelief. _"It's not funny Steven"_

_"Ye don't remember do ye? In the bedroom before and what happened?"_

Ste thought for a moment, and then shook his head. _"No, I remember sleeping; I think I had a nightmare too, and why do I feel so cold?"_

_"Ye were coved in ice! I found ye in the middle of the room pointing up to the ceiling, covered in bloody snow or something"_

_"In the middle of summer?"_ Ste cried aghast

_"Yeh, it's freaking nuts I know, earth to Steven, bigger picture?"_ Brendan shook his body a little and raised his eyebrows.

Ste twigged and hitched a breath _"What? Oh god, not again, it's happening again isn't it?"  
_  
He looked worried and shuffled down into the duvet more just exposing his eyes.

_"I don't know Steven, but I'm positive people don't just turn to ice in their bedrooms"_

_"Why was I pointing to the ceiling?"_ They looked at each other and Brendan gasped moving Ste up off the sofa and keeping him wrapped up in the duvet. He waddled over to the bedroom and they went in.

The temperature had turned back to normal now; they looked up at the place Ste had pointed to and then back at each other. 'Darkness within' was scrolled across the ceiling in blood. Ste shivered and Brendan placed his arms around the giant duvet he was inside.

_"I say that all the time Bren...how does it know?"_

_"Baby if I knew that we'd be living in la la land somewhere. Unfortunately we have to live in the real world which for some reason loves to surround ye in the supernatural!"_

Ste looked up at the writing then walked over to the cabinet and grabbed his phone looking over at Brendan with a smirk.

_"Don't ye even dare"_

_"I'm gonna have to make the call Bren..."_

_"Don't..."_

_"Who am I gonna call Bren?"_

_"That's it; I'm off to make breakfast!"_

Ste giggled to himself as Brendan went to make breakfast. Ste looked up at the celling and frowned,what the hell had done that he thought. He was still cold so huddled into the duvet more,dialled and waited for someone to pick up, the call clicked...

_"Ghost busters, how can we help...?"  
_

* * *

Darren point blank refused to listen holding up a feather duster as a way of a weapon as Jim and Dennis tried to calm him down and make him listen to reason. Darren stood up on a swivel chair and poked the feather duster at them jabbing it through the air, the chair swung precariously as Darren tried to keep himself steady on it.

_"Get away!"_ Darren warned pushing the feathers into Dennis' face and making him cough on them, dust flying everywhere. Dennis started having a fit of sneezes as the dust cloud got breathed into his lungs and nostrils.

_"Ah come on Darren, they're our friends!"_ Jim tried to reason with Darren. _"Now give me the feather duster and climb down slowly"_

_"NO! Have you forgotten the Black swirly thing?! Well I haven't!"_

_"Sweet lord above, Darren it's trapped remember?" _Jim rolled his eyes and tried to grab the duster with no luck

_"Oh so Ste turning into the abominable snowman was just a party trick then?"_

_"He hasn't turned into a yeti! He was just iced up a little, he's thawed out completely now by all accounts."_ Dennis coughed up the remained of the dust cloud and a few feathers he never knew he'd inhaled.

Darren sighed getting down off his chair and sitting in it. _"So what is it this time? An iced swirly thing? Cause anything to do with them lot spells trouble."_

Jim and Dennis sighed sitting down with Darren retrieving the duster and chucking it away.

_"We will go and see what's happened; maybe Ste is just haunted, it can happen sometimes." _Jim shrugged.

_"Ever since the house was destroyed he's had nightmares"_ Dennis agreed

* * *

Cheryl rubbed her eyes trying to remove the sleep that had formed there, a noise had rudely woken her from the dream she'd been having. Yawning and stretching out the kinks in her body the cracks it made seemed to echo around the room for some reason.

Her eyes opened and tried to focus, the feeling of not being alone crept over her like ants on her warm skin. There was something in the room with Cheryl, and it wasn't just the sleeping Nate by the side of her. The apparition stood at the bottom of the bed looking at her with blackened eyes.

Cheryl recognised the spirit, it was the woman who had once appeared to her at the house. It just stared at Cheryl as she hitched a breath, when the air around her dropped to freezing she brought up her hand to see her breath smoke white in front of her widened eyes,Cheryl trembled uncontrollably.

Without any warning the spirit rushed straight at her quickly and Cheryl screamed as its eyes were now right in front of her face. It reached out a ghostly hand to her face and scratched in anger across her cheek leaving an icy mark there in a deep fingernail scar.

It showed its bare teeth then screeched loud waking Nate up. He looked over and saw Cheryl battling with an unseen entity. Cheryl was flaying her arms around and whimpering as each tear she shed turned to an ice crystal.

_"What the hell's going on?"_ Nate cried sitting up next to Cheryl and gasping at how cold she was.

_"It's back, the woman I saw at the house, she's back"_ Cheryl winced feeling the nasty cut across her cheek._ "Look what it did! How did it physically touch me?"_

_"I've no idea babe, it's since the house was destroyed,something may have followed us home"_ Nate sat up on his elbows still half asleep and trying to understand.

_"What do ye mean, 'something', Nate what's going on?"_ Cheryl's eyes widened as he hugged her closer.

_"We'd best call Ste and Brendan; I bet they've had some things happen too." _Nate reached over and grabbed his phone. When he'd spoken to them his fear was heighted.

_"We're going for the golden box"_ Nate threw the covers off him and placed his feet on the floor, resting his head firmly in his palms he sighed heaviest he's done in years.

_"What?"_

_"Ste thinks it needs destroying, so we're going to find it"_ Nate gestured his hands up at Cheryl standing up to get dressed.

_"Where is it?"_ Cheryl grabbed a mirror and looked at her scar fleeting her fingers across it.

_"Museum apparently"_ Nate hopped into his jeans _"They have called everyone in, probably best considering"  
_

* * *

They all stood outside the museum, and the weather had taken a turn for the worst. Oddly none of them were surprised. High winds made the trees bend over at awkward angles breaking off branches and leaves. They swirled around their feet and crunched and snapped under foot as they made their way up to the stairs of the building.

A flash of forked lightning streaked across the sky lighting up the menacing dark clouds above them. The thunder deafening and travelling through their bones making them vibrate. It seemed to get worse the closer to the museum they got. Ste shuddered suddenly and grabbed hold of Brendan's arm tightly; he slumped over onto his knees holding his forehead in his hand. Brendan hitched a breath and couched down next to him.

The others surrounded Ste wondering what was wrong. Lightening flashed over Ste's face and showed a new face there, eyes blackened and mouth wide Ste screamed and deafened Brendan.

_"It's here"_ The voice growled out of Ste's throat, scratching at his vocal cords. Brendan moved to his feet dragging Ste with him and shook him quickly out of the state he was in.

_"Leave him alone!Get out of him"_ Brendan shook Ste as he fell limp into his arms.

Jim moved down and lifted up Ste's face as it had now got it's colour back once more.  
_"Ste? It's Jim can you hear me?"_ Jim shook Ste who didn't move

_"Steven, come on, we need ye"_ Brendan kissed Ste on the lips and slowly he roused again, flicking open his eye lashes and looking up at everyone's gormless face expressions.

_"What?"_ Ste asked puzzled _"What happened?"_

_"Ye don't remember?"_

_"Your eyes were black like the woman's!"_ Cheryl cried clinging on to Nate so tightly he felt the moment his circulation ceased.

_"Really? I don't remember! What woman Cheryl?"_ Ste asked getting back to his feet again,he held Brendan's hand tightly squeezing a comforting hold.

_"In the bathroom at the house, I saw a woman look at me through the mirror and her face was evil"_

_"Oh god! I saw her too!"_ Ste looked up at the museum and shivered _"It's here"_

_"You said that before!"_ Darren cried hiding behind Dennis

_"I did? Oh...well I can feel it, the dark entity is in there"_ Ste pointed a shaky finger towards the museum as they ascended the stairs

_"Of course, let's all go into the spooky museum, great plan!"_ Darren snapped sarcastically.

* * *

They broke the lock and entered the building, it was dark and eerie, Dennis moved to find the light switch but it blew out every bulb above them showering them in red hot glass. Dennis cried as one fell on his hand and burnt through the skin. The smell of burning flesh lingered in the air as they moved further into the museum armed with torches. A shadow moved across the wall behind them, they didn't see it as it followed their every step moving across the ceiling above them, it watched and waited.

Brendan gasped when a bright light appeared at the side of them; it was the little girl again. However they all continued to walk ahead leaving Brendan looking puzzled.

_"They can't see me Brendan, only you can"_

_"Why? I thought ye were Ste's spirit guide?"_ Brendan gestured his hands to the little girl looking back and now seeing he was alone. The others had disappeared as he made to follow them but the child's voice stopped him

_"I am, but he's in grave danger, and you need to stop him" _The girl looked around her and shivered she knew it was already with them. _"In fact, now none of you are safe"_

_"What?"_

_"The dark entity wants him, it knows he is here. Brendan you must get him away, there is more than one of them now"_

_"More than one? More than one what exactly...?"_ Brendan turned around and looked up to the ceiling; he saw a shadowy creature glide across the ceiling in the direction of Ste and the others. Brendan gasped and looked back at the girl, his bones covered in a spine tingling shiver that made his senses cry fear.

_"They have found a way through Brendan, they will take you all"_ The little girl pointed behind him eyes widened.

Brendan swallowed hard and turned his head around slowly, his breath turning to an icy steam he felt his hair and moustashe cover in ice crystals. Brendan saw its blackened eyes and gasped as an arm stretched out and scratched him clean across the face making him fall to the ground with a dull thud. The torch he'd been carrying smashed hard on the floor;the light flickered on and off until it faded to nothing.

Turning in silence the apparition moved to find Ste and his friends as Brendan lay on the floor. A cold snow like substance crept over him like a blanket being dragged over his body, paralysing and covering him up in a cold white frost. Above him more shadows moved fleeting across the ceiling following the others. The little girl placed her hand over Brendan's face and whispered _"I will find help, don't give in to it"  
_

* * *

They rest of the group walked and found themselves suddenly in a room of mirrors, it was a weird thing to find in a museum they had initially thought. As they walked around they lost track of what was them and what was a reflection. Ste got separated from the group as he felt his way around his reflection kept changing in the mirrors. Blurring quickly in and out of focus.

He stopped and looked into one of the mirrors as Brendan appeared behind him Ste smiled and turned around but no one was there, he spun around and looked in the mirror and Brendan was still there. He saw him smile at him through it and smooth his hand down the front of Ste's trousers.

Brendan's eyes shined looking back at him Ste gasped turning to look behind him again he was still alone. Ste watched as Brendan in the mirror stroked over his chest and kissed against his neck eyes still staring at him.

Ste gazed on in shock,he looked down over his body, no hands on him and no Brendan. He watched for a while fascinated, unable to take his eyes off the image in the mirror. It was like watching a scene played back to him in slow motion.

Then Brendan's other hand came up around his back with a large knife in it, he carried on kissing Ste in the reflection and staring back at him, he started to smile as he brought up the knife and moved it towards Ste's chest in the mirror.

Ste gasped and put his hands forward crashing against the mirror watching Brendan plunge the knife deep into his insides and his reflection fall to the floor. He looked back up at Brendan who continued to smile before licking the knife over his tongue tasting the blood. A hand fell down on Ste's shoulder making him spin round in fright and scream.

It was Jim._ "Hey Ste we've been looking for you"_

Ste trembled and looked back at the mirror, his reflection back to normal, no Brendan no knife no blood. He looked back at Jim who looked concerned.

_"Jim, let's get the box and get out of here"_ Jim nodded and led the way out.

Behind him the mirror split across in angry branched out lines,scratching a loud piercing noise not unlike metal on glass,slowly the knife moved inch by inch through the cracks in the mirror.

* * *

Please Review :) xx


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for your comments and reviews for this story and hi to my new followers.

Warning: Again this is a spooky fic so expect angst and upsetting scenes.

* * *

Darkness Within

Chapter 2

A bag fell hard at the side of Brendan whose breathing was shallow, his body glistened as a torch light passed over him slowly, it stopped on his face and shone into his glazed over eyes. As blanket was thrown over him, his freezing body was picked up and moved along the floor to a different area of the museum.

Brendan shivered and tried to open his eyes, but they had sealed closed with ice crystals, he moved his arm up and noted he was constricted and couldn't really move. Something was squeezed around his body, wrapped tightly as he tried to stroke his eyes against the coarse material he felt over himself. Then there were fingers touching his eyelids and his stomach flipped. They brushed lightly against his eyelashes brushing the seal of frost away and allowing Brendan to coax his eyes to open.

_"Steven?"_ Brendan's voice croaked trying to speak, but there was no answer. He decided to try and move his body with he managed with difficulty with it being so unbelievably cold. Spikes of pain shot through him each time he did shivering uncontrollably. Then arms wrapped around him hugging him tightly. _"Steven?"_ Brendan asked again with no answer. He flickered his eyes open and saw someone there with him, someone who was hugging onto him and making him warm. It wasn't Steven though, this person smelt different.

_"Who are ye?"_ Brendan opened his eyes properly this time and saw a man looking down on him smiling.

_"The names' Walker. I found you on the floor covered in ice"_ The man spoke continuing to rub warmth over Brendan's body.

_"Hey, get off please, I'm a married man"_ Brendan suddenly felt awkward and tried to remove himself from the man's arms, but struggled as he was in a weakened state.

_"You need to warm up friend, calm down, I don't like hugging you either, but my body heat is what's keeping you alive"_ Walker spoke and reached over to his bag and fetched out a flask of warm soup. He moved Brendan to lean up against the wall and sat next to him.

_"Here, have some of this, but sip it yeah, it's hot"_ Walkers hair flicked over his face as he turned around quickly, the torchlight the only thing giving them visibility in the darkness and eerie silence of the corridor they were sat in.

Brendan took the cup of soup he was given with a shaky hand and nodded in thanks. Brendan drank some of the soup and felt the warm thick liquid stroke down his throat and settleinto his stomach and immediately began to feel warmer as the heat radiated around his frozen body. He looked over at Walker and watched him messing around in his bag and he looked puzzled over him.

_"So, Walker? Is that you're real name then?"_ He asked in interest and noticed the slight smirk form in the corner of his mouth as he rooted into his bag with a clear purpose Brendan didn't know.

_"Simon, just everyone I know calls me Walker, my last name"_ He glanced back at Brendan and fingered his hair behind his ear to get a better view of his face by their limited light.

_"What are ye doing here?"_ Brendan asked sipping more soup. _"Oh, and thank ye, for saving me and the good soup too"_ Brendan chuckled and huddled into the blanket around his shoulders.

_"Well I was walking past and I saw the lights flash on and off, thought it was odd, then I saw the door was open and lock broken. So being me I came in to investigate. I'm a detective, it's my job."_

_"Ahh, am I in trouble then?"_ Brendan shuffled uncomfortably onto his side a little facing the stranger trying to work him out. _"The lock, sort of cries break in"_ Brendan glanced at Walker sheepishly drinking the rest of the soup and passing it back to him.

_"Depends, what's the reason you did it, and why the hell was you covered in ice?" _Walker felt Brendan's forehead with the back of his hand, it felt tepid now, healthier. _"Your colour is back, feel like you could stand?"_

_"Yeah, I have to go anyway, Steven, he needs me"_ Brendan climbed to stand up and his legs felt stiff and pained, he stumbled slightly and Walker moved to steady him._ "I'm not here alone there is a few of us and not the human variety either"_

Walker looked up at Brendan quickly, thinking he'd misheard him _"You what?"_

_"Spirits, ghosts, demon's? They're here too, welcome to the party"_ Brendan held his hand out to Walker and pulled him up. _"Hope ye have another torch in that bag"_

Walker smiled and chucked him another torch and they both set off to find the other's.

* * *

Ste and Jim were walking back through the room of mirrors when Ste stopped and gripped so tight around Jim's arm he yelled in pain.

_"Why did you come and find me and not Brendan?"_ Ste widened his eyes at Jim his fingernails pressing in so deep he was leaving a nasty mark.

_"OW!"_ Jim yanked his arm free and rubbed over the pain _"That freaking hurt! And we thought he was with you, he's not with us"_

_"And you didn't think to tell me my husband was missing?!"_ Ste screamed at Jim and began running but there were so many mirrors around he couldn't find the way out. He soon got separated from Jim again and cried out Brendan's name. He had said it a few times without a reply when he began to sob with worry. One of the mirrors sparkled and made him look up and gasp. A light shone brightly inside it as he held his hand up and squinted his eyes to look at it.

Behind him he heard a scrape of metal so he spun around and flicked his eyes around seeing many images of himself in the various mirrors dotted around. He saw the fear in his eyes staring back at every angle and the scraping noise got louder as it neared him._ 'Steven'_

Ste span around and saw what he thought to be Brendan in the mirror again staring blankly at him. He held his hands up at the mirror and balled them into fists before pounding hard at the mirror screaming Brendan's name.

The reflection of Brendan grinned; he knew it wasn't really him as he backed off tears rolled down his eyes._ "Why are you doing this? Where is Brendan?!"_ Ste screamed at the reflection but it just smiled. Ste turned around to see the knife that had earlier pushed through the mirror floating in front of him. He flashed up the torchlight and the blade gleamed.

Ste gasped and felt his way behind him around the mirrors for a way out the knife moved through the air at him as he ducked quickly the knife flew at the mirror and smashed it into pieces leaving an exit to another area. Ste looked into it with his torch and climbed to his feet looking down on the knife, he moved to bend down towards it as it rattled and moved he climbed through the mirror and rushed away.

The apparition slowly clenched it's fists into tightened balls and pounded behind the reflection harder and harder until the mirror started to break out where it's fists were. Pieces of mirrored shards span through the air. A hand moved through the cracks in it,blood dripping from where the jagged edges ripped at it's flesh.

* * *

Jim found the others all huddled together on a benched area in the museum. Cheryl was flapping around crying about what was in the museum with them and where the hell was her brother. Dennis was consoling Darren and Nate was wondering if he slipped away if anyone would notice he'd escaped.

_"Jim, where is Ste and Brendan?"_ Nate walked over to Jim stiffly and held his hands out to him.

_"I found Ste I swear, but we got separated when he realised Brendan was missing! I couldn't stop him"_ Jim cried holding his palms over his face.

_"Of course he'd be like that, those two can't live without each other, they panic when separated"_ Nate turned to the others._ "We need to split up, one group look for Brendan, the other Ste"_

_"What?!Split up, but we're in a spooky museum"_ Darren cried and Cheryl pointed to Darren nodding in agreement _"What he said, I second"_ Cheryl trembled

_"You know what Chez, I love you, but for once will you stop with the cry baby act! Your brother and his husband, your best mate is missing!"_ Nate moved over to her getting angry then stopped seeing her face whiten quickly and look up screaming blue murder down his ears. Nate cowered and fell to his knees looking up and seeing a number of shadows swarming above them on the ceiling.

_"Shit! Jim MOVE!"_ Nate cried grabbing hold of Cheryl and rushing into another room. Jim was at the back trying in vain to keep up with the others but fell. As he looked up he saw them running in front of them getting smaller and smaller. He felt a presence behind him as he span around quickly. A dark apparition moved towards him and turned the air icy cold. He felt it creep up from his feet and surround his whole body. He saw a number of black shadows crawl over the ceiling as he became completely paralysed.

Dennis looked behind him and Jim wasn't there any more so he stopped._"Guys! Jim is gone, stop!"_

They all stopped running and moved back to Dennis._"What are we gonna do? We're dropping like flies and we still haven't found the golden box!"_

Nate looked at Cheryl and kissed her _"That's it, we have to destroy it, I bet all this will stop when we do"_ The others all nodded. _"We should continue, I'll go back for Jim you lot go on and find the box"_

Cheryl huffed and shook her head _"Nooo, I ain't leaving you!"  
_  
_"Babe, I have too, you need to stay with the others, I swear I will be back when I find Jim"_ Nate pulled Cheryl in for a deep kiss._ "I love you"_

_"No, I wont let you."_ Cheryl cried as Darren moved toward her and held her hand.

_"I will look after you, and Dennis, right Dennis?"_

_"Oh well now I feel loads better!"_ Cheryl replied sarcastically.

* * *

Brendan and his new found friend Walker continued on through the museum and found the room of mirrors. They both looked at each other before walking in and looking around. Brendan saw his reflection everywhere and struggled with getting around. Then he gasped in fright as gunshots echoed in the room and sounds of glass shattering into a thousand pieces to the ground. He moved his arms up to shield his face and covered his ears and waited till the gun shots finally stopped.

He looked up with raised eyebrows at Walker who held aloft his gun and glanced over at Brendan shrugging. _"What? At least we can see now right?"_

_"What is your major malfunction?!"_ Brendan strode over to him crunching pieces of glass and mirror under his heavy feet; placing a hand on Walker he shoved him backwards in anger. _"Anyone could have been in here!"_ Brendan shone the torch around and saw the thousands of shards of glass and mirror strewn all over the place. It crunched loud underfoot as they walked through the now opened out room, eventually finding a doorway through a broken mirror. They walked through it.

There was a room full of Weapons, knives and axes were placed on the walls, old style torture items on display in glass cabinets and pictures depicting graphic torture scenes and violence littered the square room. Walker and Brendan shone around their torches over the pictures and widened their eyes. Brendan gulped loud and shook his head.

_"It's taking the Mick out of us, of all the places to be trapped, a place with weapons that could have your eye out."_ Brendan sighed heavy. _"And I can't bloody see a thing! Where's the light switch, it can't hurt to try"_ Walker glanced back and nodded in agreement pointing the opposite way and they found a number of different switches. Walker flicked one and a huge booming voice rattled through their bodies. It was part of the museum's entertainment it turned out, with a woman talking in a posh accent explaining what they all used to do to each other in _'the olden days'_ with the items in the room.

Walker flicked it back and agreed never to do that again, after a few more tries and one of a lightening display around their heads and thunder crashing they found the normal light switch, and thankfully it didn't blow up above them or make their heads explode in a random display of irony.  
There was a whimper in the corner of the room that made them gasp and look up.

_"Hello?"_ Walker asked the room as they moved around _"Please show yourself I am armed and not afraid to use it"_

Brendan shook his head and grabbed the nearest object and spoke _"Yeah, me to and I've got a...um stick?"_

Walker stopped and looked around at the thin piece of wood in Brendan's hand and chuckled _ "Hmm, dead scary you are" _Walker span his head around hearing the cry again and located it to a desk in the far corner of the room. He silently pointed his finger gesturing over to it and Brendan nodded sneaking over to the desk with him. They crept over and reached the table when a loud screech made them jump back and something jumped up from behind the desk and Walker fired his gun.

Brendan screamed at him pushing him out of the way he scrambled around to behind the desk and cradled Ste in his arms sobbing. _"Steven?"_ Brendan stroked through his hair and lifted up his palm seeing blood on his trembling fingers.

_"AARRGGHH!He's my husband!"_ he screamed at walker who couldn't speak, he shook his head and dropped his gun and fell to his knees resting his head in his palms and wincing listening to Brendan's sobs of agony.

_"No, no, Steven, wake up"_ Brendan stroked and cradled Ste in his arms rocking him. _"I hate ye, I hate ye!"_ Looking at Walker and feeling tears roll down his cheeks. _"I can't live without him"_ He whispered kissing Ste's forehead,tears mixing with blood and pooling down his cheeks.

* * *

Nate hid in the shadows as he shuddered watching the black entities follow after the others, he felt a pang of despair leaving Cheryl to face them, but knew deep down the lady was harder than she cared to admit, she's be the one saving the guys in the end. Nate hitched a breath and crawled across the floor in the darkness stretching out to find Jim. He didn't switch his torch on yet in fear the spirits would see him and come back for him too, and he had to save Jim.

Amazingly he did find him and he jolted at the icy cold touch of his body. Nate turned on the torch then and looked in horror at Jim who lay frozen and lifeless on the floor. He searched around and saw a radiator on the wall. Jumping to his feet he dragged him along to it. Taking off his jacket he covered him over and tried to warm him up the best he could.

Nate reached inside his pocket and took out his phone, calling Brendan, Ste and then Cheryl and each time it would say call disconnected. Frustrated he angled the torch around the room searching around. His torchlight happened upon a figure in the distance, he trembled a little hunching up to the still extremely cold Jim. It moved closer and closer till he realised who it was and sighed relieved.

_"Jesus, thank god you're alright! We have all been worried. Jim is a icepop, Cheryl is goodness knows where with Dennis and Darren"_ Nate scrunched his eyes up seeing the man walk with his foot dragging behind him and something gleaming in his hand, it was covered in a substance he couldn't quite make out._ "Brendan? What the hell happened, and where's Ste?"_

_"You hurt yourself then? And what's that in your hand?"_ Nate asked climbing to his feet he shone the light over the figure carrying a knife that was dripping blood off the tip of it. Nate moved the light onto the man's face; it had hollowed out eyes and sharpened teeth, menacingly growling at him and moving closer and closer. Nate swallowed and whimpered realising it wasn't Brendan as the figure held up the knife and lunged it towards him.

* * *

The unlikely trio of Dennis Darren and Cheryl were walking through the museum, the others now a distant memory as they had to leave them to carry on the hunt for the golden box. They decided to try another light switch and it lit up stars spiralling around the room, large moulded planets were hung above them where the exhibition had been made out like the solar system. It looked great and they all smiled watching the different colours shine around the room. Dennis pointed up to the mould of Saturn which was a particularly large piece and asked for a picture to be taken.

The planet swung slowly from side to side above him when the black apparitions crawled over the ceiling above them. Cheryl wandered off leaving Darren to take the photos. She came across another area and wandered in. There was no light in this room so Cheryl shone her torch up to see hundreds of eyes staring at her wherever she looked. It made her jolt backwards and scream so loud it shocked Dennis and Darren into action.

There was a loud crash behind them as the planet Saturn fell to the floor and broke in half. Dennis hitched a breath and looked at Darren who wailed pointing to the apparition above them. He grabbed Dennis and ran to find Cheryl. They were both running and crashed into each other ending up in a heap. Cheryl crawled backwards watching the thing get closer she felt her way up the wall finding a door she shook the handle.

It was stiff and wouldn't open as she kept trying she could hear the guys screaming at her to run, Cheryl froze on the spot, jerking at the handle and back kicking the door swearing and begging for it to open. On her last attempt she shoulder barged the door open and ran through into another room which turned out to be a giant cellar.

_"Hello?"_ She cried hitching a breath and spinning around every noise she heard, Cheryl was on tenterhooks and carried on walking away from the door she came in from. Turns out she had wandered into the archives of the museum. There were a lot of files and objects littered on different shelves and categorised in alphabetical order. Cheryl hummed to herself and went in search of G. Thinking perhaps the box could have been archived as no one would know what it was.

After a while of wandering around hundreds of artefacts boxes and files about boxes with archives inside them she came across the box. Cheryl recognised it immediately. It had been placed inside a plastic bag and had a tag on it. Reading _'Golden trinket box, found at well known haunted location, opened but found to be empty'_

Cheryl trembled with the tag in her hand after she'd read it aloud to herself, _"opened but found empty"_ She whispered then gasped _"Oh my god, Ste!"_

* * *

Please review :) xx  
To my guests who requested Stalker, I have no idea how you knew I was bringing Walker into this story,did you read my mind? (I wrote half this before your reviews!) So,yeah that was very spooky! I shall see what I can do, thank you for your ideas,keep em coming! :D


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for all comments/reviews and follows for this story.  
A thousand apologies for the late update,writers block and half term holidays have delayed this chapter.

This is for Melissa,thank you for your lovely review! I was editing this when you posted it,spooky coincidence? :O I am sorry for delay,hopefully this new chapter will help bring forgiveness? ;D xx

Warning: Some angst and upsetting scenes.

* * *

Darkness Within

Chapter 3

There was a deathly silence now and Walker removed his hands from his face slowly daring to look up and over by the desk, at what he'd done. A stupid impulse jerk reaction he'd had when he'd pulled the trigger before seeing who it was standing before him. His heart twisted in pain, it's the last thing he wanted, to kill another human being, especially as they'd been no threat to him whatsoever.

Walker believed he'd heard the moment Brendan's heart had broken, the high pitched scream still throbbing through his body that stung at his own now tarnished organ. It was beating in an erratic rhythm now and choking back the vomit that was desperately trying to jump up from his stomach he got to his feet and looked at them cradled on the floor.

Walker opened his mouth and stuttered coughing a little, his mouth dry as Death Valley._ "Is..is he...have I..?"_

Brendan didn't reply, too busy stoking over Ste's hair mixing his tears with the congealing blood on his head. Brendan was still rocking him, knees up towards his chest and Ste lying limp in his arms. Brendan prayed silently, closing his eyes and continuing to smooth over Ste's paling skin. Eyes were sore with the tears, red and puffed out, his vision was blurry and unfocussed as he glanced around him for something, anything, an answer.

* * *

Cheryl grasped the golden box in her hands and screamed out loud, why did they have to open it? Of all the stupid, idiotic things to do. Then again they'd probably been curious, a trinket box, found on a haunted site, oh they were probably excited and looking forward to seeing inside. Cheryl knew what their excitement would have turned into though. Fear and screams, and god knows what happened to the black entity. They had seen some things in the museum yes, spirits and demons. However the malevolent spirit had yet to rear its ugly head and Cheryl wondered how long they'd have to wait before it did.

A loud metallic noise shook her from those fearsome thoughts and she span around quickly hitching a breath and widening her eyes. Her skin turned white cold and she moved fast back to the door. Grabbing hold of the handle she bumped into something at the side of her. Realising what it was she stuffed the box into her bag and yanked it off the wall. Cheryl gulped opening the door and looked around one eye open, one closed. Thinking that would protect her from half the danger at least.

Lucky for her she was alone, Darren and Dennis nowhere to be seen, the black shadow spirit that had closed in towards her gone. Cheryl looked down at the fire extinguisher in her clasped hand and sighed a little. Deciding she would keep it as a weapon anyway, she defied what Nate had told her and moved back to where he and Jim were. Cheryl held the extinguisher out in front of her and moved back through the museum angling past the broken mould of Saturn on her way out.

* * *

Nate's first thought was of the searing pain he felt as the knife slashed across his arm, it burned and he yelled out in discomfort waving his arms around as a shield and trying to fend off his attacker. Nate fell backwards over Jim and landed heavy on his back thumping his head on the hard laminated floor. It knocked him dizzy and then he blacked out.

Nate woke up quickly feeling warm breath down his neck, it prickled at the hairs on his skin and he shivered at the sensation. His eyes flicked open and he gasped turning around he saw Jim leaning over him tending to his cut arm, ripped off his shirt and had began to bandage up the flowing knife mark.

_"Jesus, must have been a jagged edge to have done this kind of mess"_ Jim spoke as he tied the shirt material around the hanging torn flesh and tissue, so tight Nate moaned in agony and moved his arm away holding onto it with a tender touch.

_"Fucking OW!"_ Nate cried incredulous at Jim widening his eyes at the brutality his bed side manor was.

_"Sorry Nate, I had to stop the bleeding though, your clothes are covered in blood, look"_

Nate looked down and saw he was indeed saturated in a deep red. He winced and tried to stand up, getting to his feet he looked around at the darkness around them, picking up the torch he flashed it around and the light caressed over the objects and pictures in the museum. Nate remembered then two things, first Jim was OK, last he saw he had been frozen stiff, and second the man, or thing that had attacked him.

_"How did you get defrosted Jim?"_ Nate shone the torch around and into Nate's eyes forcing him to throw up his arms and shield the blinding light.

_"Hey, put the torch down will you!"_ Jim gasped and when Nate lowered it he had to rub his eyes to stop seeing orange spots before them._ "Honestly, I don't know, basically I woke up lent up against the radiator shivering, it was warm so I curled up against it to warm myself, then I saw you on the floor covered in blood."_

Nate listened and sighed heavy walking away a little then turning back _"So you didn't see the...thing that attacked me? It had a knife, and I thought it was Brendan at first"_

_"No one else was here, but it was sharp whatever wounded you, it's ripped your flesh to pieces"_ Jim swallowed hard and glanced around _"So we have more than a swirly thing to deal with here, the place seems overrun with paranormal activity"_ Jim walked over to Nate._ "Let's go find the others, we just have to be vigilant I think"_

_"Hmm I guess...Shhhhh...What's that?"_ Nate cried and shone his light over to the figure walking towards them, they held each others arm tightly and moved closer, they were almost hugging and Jim choked trying to speak, and it ended up a high pitched squeak that moved from his lips _"whatwegonnado? I mean, "what we gonna do?"_ Jim coughed clearing his throat and Nate gave him a look of confusion.

_"Jim! You're the bloody ghost buster! You tell me!"_

_"Ummm...we should...leg it, right now, come on!"_ Jim ran and then stopped when he heard shouts behind him. He turned and seeing the figure and Nate kissing and hugging together. His eyes widened in disgust. _"EW Nate!"_

Then he realised it wasn't some spirit or maniac supernatural being, it was just Cheryl with a fire extinguisher. Naturally should have been his first thought really he summarised, walking back to meet them in the middle.

_"Hi Jim! See you're OK"_ Cheryl beamed and looked back to where she had come from; the darkness seemed to spread towards them whichever way they looked. The dark had a mind of it's own in here._ "Um, we need to find Darren and Dennis, they've disappeared"_

_"Great, so four of us are all missing, can this situation get any worse?"_ Jim spoke and saw the looks the others shot him._ "Sorry, you're right"  
_  
They moved to set off back in the direction where Cheryl had come from. As they were walking she broke the news that silenced them to the point they'd have heard a pin drop. _"By the way, I found the golden box, it's been opened and it's empty"_

* * *

They'd been running a long time, and what they failed to fathom was why the place was so big, it never ended this museum and they wanted to get out of there, find an exit, safety. Darren was trying all the windows and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get any of them to open, he was getting restless and fear crawled through his pores.

Dennis was too pre occupied by the interesting exhibits around the room, he found a light switch and realised it was Vikings. He grabbed one of the helmets that had been on a mannequin and placed it on his head and laughed making Darren spin around and look at him with raised eyebrows, it cheered his mood a little. Until he saw the figure from the corner of his eyes rush over to Dennis and scream at him.

It was a blur of white and wind that rushed between them so Darren hadn't got his focus back, he blinked and did a double take, it was a woman. A woman freaking out and shouting at Dennis.

_"You put that back right now!"_ Carmel had seen Dennis disrespecting the exhibits and she wasn't having any of it. _"They are museum property, not for riff raff to play with"_

_"Err, riff raff? I'll have you know I am a ghost buster!"_ Dennis replied removing the Viking helmet and handing it to the lady.

_"Who the hell are you?"_ Darren asked now stood next to Dennis and realising just how good looking this lady was he slicked his fingers back through his hair and stroked his clothes down straight. _"And do you realise the museum is haunted?"_

_"Of course I realise!"_ Carmel huffed straightening the helmet onto the dummy. _"It was Patrick's bloody fault anyway! He opened the stupid box in the first place, and I said, I told him, no good would come of it!"_ Carmel rested on a chair and breathed heavy._ "It just came at him, you know, he never stood a chance. And the noises it made, creeped the hell out of us"_

_"Us? There are more of you in here?"_ Darren asked looking at Dennis worryingly _"How many of you are there?"_

_"A few, problem is when it got him we all ran, and I know that sounds so bad, but it unlocked something, that house was built on it you see and...What?"_

_"Wait, the box we get, we have got the t shirt, but house built on what?"_ Dennis asked Carmel as he knelt down in front of her.

_"Evil"_ She replied and stood up to walk away_ "Come on, they're after us again, we need to hide, quickly"_ Carmel hurried in her heels as they clacked at the tiled floor.

_"Do you know how many bad things are here?"_

_"The black entities are from the same place the one who possessed Patrick is from, we discovered more than one trinket box the further we excavated, buried together under the foundations. However they are not as strong as the one in the golden box, that is the only one that can possess you, the others have a icy cold paralysing defence"_

_"Oh god, we gotta find the others"_ Darren nodded at Dennis

_"Yeah, especially Ste"_

_"Ste? Hey, that was the name Patrick said when it took over him, red eyes and blackened veins spread through his face and arms 'Ste' it said"_

_"Right, we need to find him! I cannot believe you opened the fucking boxes, all of them! Didn't the black malignant spirits that kept popping out of the boxes give you a little clue as not to fuck with things you cannot begin to understand?" _Dennis poked Carmel's chest and then backed off quickly realising he probably shouldn't be poking her there.

_"We thought they'd be answers in the others, and the other boxes had been silver, not gold"_ Carmel defended the actions of her fellow colleagues with pride waving a finger at them.

_"Right! There's your answer then, it was golden!"_ Dennis jumped for joy on the spot _"What a bunch of plebs!"  
_

* * *

Brendan laid Ste down gently on the floor and kissed his forehead._ "I love ye"_ He whispered into his ear and stood up on his shaky legs, they gave way and he fell to his knee, tears soaked his face, he had no idea how he would now live his life, it had been extinguished in one moment of complete madness. He lifted his head looking over at the crest fallen Walker and angered instantly, like the memory had lit a spark of dynamite inside him.

Revenge was all he could think about now, and then death. He had nothing to live for, so killing Walker would make the pain ease a little, a second then it would be all over anyway. Brendan found his feet and moved slowly over to Walker and stood in front of him. He didn't move his body just his head, raised it a little and settled it on Brendan's knees not daring to look up at his face and the eyes that would have complete devastation in them.

_"Why did ye take him from me?"_ The sob in his question cut Walkers heart in two, he trembled as he breathed out, how could he even have an answer for him, it had been an accident, a stupid moment of trigger happy idiocy that had destroyed in the worst way.

_"He was, he was my entire life, and ye just killed him...kill me now, please"_ Brendan asked and then Walker looked up, had to see the eyes of a man so broken he wished for death to escape the pain.

_"No, I won't do that. I am sorry, I thought he was going to attack us, I thought..._

_"YOU DIDN'T THINK, YE JUST SHOT HIM!"_ Brendan clenched his fists shaking uncontrollably._ "Get up...GET UP!"_

Walker moved back on his ankles and sprung himself upright and faced Brendan close. He saw the red of his eyes that were still shedding tears. He blinked and then noticed movement behind Brendan, he slowly averted his gaze and his eyes must have opened wide because even Brendan felt nervous looking at him then. He whispered at him not daring to turn around yet. _"What is it...?_

_"He's not dead"_

Brendan span around and looked back at Ste who was stood up like nothing had happened to him, besides the blood that trickled down from the gun shot wound he was fine. Brendan screwed his eyes up in shock moving over to him he choked a cry of happiness._"Steven"_ he gasped.

Ste hadn't spoken just looked over at Walker, couldn't stop looking and Brendan licked over his bottom lip glancing back at Walker then at Ste. He had to physically turn his head away so he would look up at him and studied his eyes closely.

_"Steven, please say something"_

_"That man there"_ Steven started and then looked at him again _"He shot me"_

_"I know Steven, I thought ye had died, ye weren't breathing, what happened?"_

_"I don't know Bren, all I know is I was being taken away then brought back again, and that's when I woke up and saw you speaking with my attacker"_

Walker moved forward and Ste moved back _"Hey, it was an accident, I never meant to hurt an innocent ,I thought you were one of the demons Brendan had told me about"_

_"Demons?"_ Ste looked and tilted his head at Brendan who smirked a little

_"Steven, forget the demons"_ Brendan smiled wide at Ste and he knew what the smile had meant, he beamed and they embraced each other in a longing kiss, Ste deepened it and just before they moved apart he'd opened his eyes and looked over at Walker who had been watching them. Walker gulped and turned away quickly looking to retrieve his thrown gun.

Ste licked deeper into Brendan's mouth and moaned with it,biting Brendan's lip before parting. _"I know Bren; I felt it"_

_"Felt what?"_

_"Your pain, thinking I had died, you know I would never leave you, right? Ever"_ Ste rested his head against Brendan's head _"I love you"_ Ste moved his hand down the side of Brendan and gripped his hand tightly walking them back around the desk and over to Walker. Ste let him stare a while as he took in his eyes, moving closer Brendan looked puzzled and then shocked when Ste slapped Walker hard across the face.

_"Don't you ever shoot me again"_ Ste spat at him and dragged Brendan away.  
Brendan looked back at Walker and raised his eyebrows jolting Ste back to look at him. He cradled his face in his palms and looked deeply into his eyes. _"Steven, are ye sure you're OK?"_

_"Yes baby, I have never felt better, now come on, we need to find the others and get out of here"_

_"Wait, what about the golden box?"_

_"Nah, I was wrong about that, lets just leave now, and be happy together"_

_"Steven, something's wrong, I know ye, and ye are not yourself, come sit down a while and rest, just a little while, for me?"_ Brendan pleaded with Ste until he'd sighed and relented. Moving over to a cushioned bench Brendan sat down and Ste curled on his lap holding tightly around his neck, peppering kisses there making Brendan sigh. Ste snuggled close to his ear and spoke softly.

_"Who's the cop?"_ Ste asked licking into Brendan's ear and nibbling at his earlobe.

_"I never said he was a cop Steven"_

Ste gulped and thought a moment_ "The gun gave it away"_

_"Oh, well he saved me actually"_ Brendan admitted and Ste moved up and straddled over Brendan's lap and looked into his eyes.

_"He did? Wow, so he doesn't just kill folk"_

_"I am here you know!"_ Walker huffed and settled down on the chair behind the desk _"And I explained, It was an ACCIDENT"_

_"Touchy isn't he?"_ Ste laughed moving to lick kisses into Brendan's mouth, making them more and more passionate. Brendan relented allowing the kisses to happen, having moments earlier thinking he'd lost Ste completely. Only when Ste moved over his lap creating friction did he stop what was happening, knowing Walker was watching their every move.

_"He likes ye"_ Brendan spoke surprising Ste into stopping

_"I know"_ Ste replied sucking Brendan's bottom lip into his mouth as it pouted to perfection._ "I'm with you though, no man can or will touch me like you do Brendan"_ Ste poured affection into Brendan's ears and made his heart beat faster for him.

_"No?"_

_"Never"_ Ste replied kissing Brendan again,and then he slowed his movements and felt shivers spread out over his spine.

_"It's here"_ Ste whispered with widened eyes Brendan felt his fear rush through his body like electricity grabbing water.

Ste moved off Brendan's lap and turned placing his hands behind him and holding Brendan hands tightly he stood close behind him.

Walker noticed Ste's odd behaviour and stood up too,moving out from behind the desk he moved to stand next to them and looked around._"What is it?"_  
_"It's the swirly thing, its close by"_ Ste gasped and pointed to a door far away at the other side of the room they hadn't been through yet. Brendan pulled Ste in the opposite direction wanting to protect him from it, knowing what the entity was like.

The door knob rattled loudly and they gasped. Walker moved forward and lifted his weapon again, Ste sniggered and Brendan darted a look at him.

_"What? He's gonna shoot it? It's a frickin ghost!"_ Ste pushed Walker to one side and walked towards the door, Brendan gripped his arm hard and Ste yelped in pain._ "Oi! That hurt Bren!"_

_"Ye are not going in there, I am not letting it get ye again!"_

Ste shook his head and defied the spirit._"I can fight it Bren"_ Ste ran towards the door and opened it. A man screamed and Brendan and Walker rushed forward getting to the doorway they looked inside and saw Ste stood over a man cowered in the corner of an office. He was white and shaken,couldn't speak. Ste was talking to him softly trying to soothe him.

Ste turned slowly to look at them and his eyes seemed to cloud over momentarily,then as if a light switched in his head he was back in the room with them again.

_"Steven? Are ye OK?"_ Brendan moved forward and touched lightly on his shoulder and he flinched slightly,but Brendan had noticed.

_"I am fine,I wish people would stop asking me!"_ Ste snapped then saw the look in Brendan's eyes and relented. _"Shit,sorry Bren"_ Ste hooked his arms around his neck and kissed him darting his look behind at Walker. They stared until the kiss was broken and then the man spoke.

_"I...I am Patrick, the curator for the museum,who are you?"_ Patrick shivered and got to his feet,grabbing hold of his forehead he winced in pain. _"It's like it's behind my eyes,the pain burns"_

Walker pushed past Ste bumping into him,and Brendan placed his arms protectively around his waist. _"What is behind your eyes?"_ Walker asked looking into the man's eyes. He gasped when he realised they were red and glowing,Patrick's skin blackened and he grabbed Walker by his cheeks and dug his sharp nails so deep he drew blood.

Brendan grabbed Ste by the arm and flung him out side the door as he fell backwards heavy on the floor and hitched a breath,he watched Brendan take a last look at him before slamming the door shut. Inside the room Walker was screaming in agony and Brendan shook uncontrollably desperately searching for anything to hit Patrick with.

There was a paper weight on the desk a round glass ball with coloured patterns inside it,Brendan lunged forward but Patrick had sensed his movements grabbing Brendan by the throat he flung him over the desk.

_"I will have him you know,I have helpers now,you cannot stop me"_ Patrick seethed poison into Brendan's ear and he turned his face to the side,feeling the coldness of his skin pressed to his cheek. He felt a sickening feeling of dread come over him. He saw Walker in the background holding up a chair and Brendan turned to face the spirt now holding him up by the chest. His hand angled under his chin and forced his head back.

_"I would die first,ye wont get him,or anyone else again,we will destroy ye!" _

_"Ha ha,you want to die? Your wish is my command"_ Patrick closed his palm tightly around Brendan's neck and squeezed until Brendan's eyes moved back into his head then a loud smash.

* * *

The room was quieter,a clock was ticking on the wall,and Brendan hadn't noticed the sound before. It roused him from his sleep,as he moved to get up his back felt a serge of pain,he realised he was still laid on the desk in the office.

A broken wooden chair lay on the floor scattered,no one else was in the room,both Patrick and Walker gone._ "Steven?"_ Brendan cried in confusion getting off the desk and almost toppling over with the stiffness his legs felt. He remembered little snippits of things,Patrick had obviously been possessed by the black spirit,and he'd tried to kill him. Walker had obviously smashed the chair over him,but where were they?

Steven,he'd thrown him outside the door,but when he walked over to it,the door was locked. He jolted the handle vigorously.

_"Hello? Hello can anyone hear me? Steven?!"_ Brendan punched and kicked at the door,and when it hadn't opened he slid own it holding his head in his palms.

_"He's got Ste"_ A little sweet voice roused him quickly as he looked up at the brilliant bright light that stood before him.

_"No,he can't have! Please help me get out of this room?"_

_"I can't,but someone is coming,they will help you Brendan,Ste isn't as strong as he thinks you know? It'll take you both to destroy it"_ The little spirit girl spoke and then looked up at the door.

_"They're here"_ And then she was gone.

_Knock,Knock._

* * *

I will endeavour to update quicker now the holidays are over,hope you enjoyed the chapter xx


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for all the lovely reviews for this story,I appreciate them all.

For the guest who reviewed today,thank you for your comments. I am truly honoured you enjoy reading this enough to ask for quicker updates. :)  
Please understand though, that this fic is very different to my others,and I don't want to rush write it. Writing love and fluff is lot's easier than writing dark and scary. I am certain an update of a good chapter outweighs the need for a rushed bad one. xx

* * *

Darkness Within

Chapter 4

Ste was feeling annoyed, the moment he'd landed hard on his backside and looked up at Brendan closing the door in his face. He made a sound unlike a huff climbing to his feet he moved back to the door and tried the handle, it wouldn't budge, and he kicked it in anger. Brendan always did this he thought, wouldn't allow him to fight his way through danger, and had to be there to protect him. Problem was Ste knew the entity; he knew he would be able to cope and fight it off.

He heard muffled voices behind the door, and he knew he had to get in there.

Inside the room Walker was in pain, his face burned as the blood pooled from his cut cheeks, Patrick's nails had made a deep wound, his face was swollen and throbbed. He glanced around noticing a wooden chair, grabbing it he moved to stare at Patrick leaning over Brendan squeezing the life out of his body over the office desk.

Patrick sensed him though and let go of Brendan who had fallen unconscious. He span around then evil grin spread over his face, Walker smiled too before bringing the chair down hard over his head. A loud crack echoed in the space between them. Patrick slumped to the floor and Ste kicked open the door. Swinging back quickly on it's hinges it crashed into the wall behind it.

_"Brendan!"_ Ste cried and ran over to him climbing over his body and kissing him. _"Are you OK,come on wake up"_

_"Steven..."_

Ste turned around slowly and looked back at Walker _"Don't you ever call me Steven, my name is Ste"_ Ste's eyes clouded over and Walker moved backwards a bit looking over his face in scrutiny.

_"Ste...we need to get out of here"_

_"Not without Brendan we don't you can piss off if you want but I'm staying"_ Ste stroked his hand over Brendan's cheek waiting for him to rouse.

_"No, you are coming with me now"_ Walker insisted and moved closer to Ste who moved his back hand and hit Walker across the face as he fell back wards.

_"Don't threaten me, you have no clue do you?"_

_"Yeah, somehow I don't think Brendan does either"_ Walker adjusted his jaw and rubbed his hand over it. _"You are acting far too weird, something is wrong, something you're not telling us"_

Patrick's body began to convulse on the floor and Ste gasped watching._"Brendan, please now would be a good time to wake up!"_ Ste shook Brendan vigorously knowing what was next,it was only when Walker screamed and a familiar screeching noise filled the room making his body tremble with fear he turned to look at the black swirly thing floating above Patrick's body.

Patrick was awake now and crawling backwards on his hands and feet towards to door eyes widened in complete fear. He scrabbled to his feet and ran away out of the door. Walker watched him the thing before him he couldn't quite believe was there and Ste who seemed eerily calmer now. _"Ste will you bloody move!"_

_"NO,I am leaving my husband for anything!"_ Ste broadened his shoulders _"It's here for me anyway, so just go"_

_"If it gets you how will you protect Brendan then huh? If we run it'll chase us, we can come back for him"_

_"Right I will kick your arse around this room you pathetic weasel, I am not leaving Brendan."_ Ste looked back at Brendan again shaking him, a piece of wood fell heavy at the back of his head and he'd slumped over Brendan's body.

* * *

_"What?"_ Nate stopped Cheryl and looked at her in disbelief _"You have the box?"_

_"Hmm, look"_ Cheryl replied delving into her bag she'd grabbed out the golden box and showed it to Nate and Jim. Nate held it shakily opening the box and he closed his eyes.

_"We had it trapped! Why did they open it?"_ Nate passed the box back to her and she placed it in her bag holding Nate on the shoulder.

_"I know babe, that was my thoughts too"_

_"Look, I may be wrong, but if we trapped it in this before,maybe we still could now?"_ Nate suggested trying to come up with a new solution to their predicament.

_"True I guess, but there is even more spirits around here, what about them?"_ Jim asked looking behind him, hearing something moving in the darkness.

_"God knows, I just wanna go home, put my feet up"_ Nate chuckled

Jim kept looking behind him squinting his eyes into the darkness, trying to focus thinking he could see things even though there was barely any visibility. Something sloshed around his feet where he stood and he lifted up his foot, it sounded sticky whatever it was.

_"Guys, there's something on the floor"_ Jim spoke moving backwards bumping into Nate and Cheryl. They looked down but couldn't see in the darkness._ "Give me the torch!"_ Jim grabbed it and shone it down on the thick red liquid that was creeping towards them the more they backed away.

_"It looks like blood"_ Cheryl whimpered holding onto Nate and pointing the extinguisher towards the red liquid.

_"What's that gonna do? Its not bloody fire is it"_ Nate cried incredulous watching the liquid follow their every move even changing direction when they did.

_"Wait...what's that smell? It's like petrol...oh no, it's a flammable liquid isn't it? We need to fucking run,NOW!"  
_

* * *

_"As much as I like being crowded this close to ya, we really should move"_ Dennis broke the silence first, all three of them huddled together inside a closet really wasn't helping their situation. Darren nudged him in warning looking up at Carmel and smiling at her for the umpteenth time, she relented and they crept out quietly.

They were in the staff canteen now situated on a higher floor;apparently the building had three flights and then the roof, so it was a huge place. Dennis had smashed the front of the vending machines with a chair much to the annoyance of Carmel, although even she relented when her stomach grumbled in hunger. As they sat around one of the tables eating crisps and drinking pop Carmel gasped in thought making Darren fall back off his chair in a heap.

_"Jesus! Haunted museum, don't DO that!"_ Darren spoke writhing around on his back struggling like a tortoise trying to upright himself. Dennis took pity on him lifting him up.

_"Sorry, I have just had a thought! We can look at the CCTV! A great way to locate everyone!"_ Carmel watched the guys beam wide

_"Brilliant! Where is the room with it?"_ Dennis asked as she walked way gesturing for them to follow.

_"This way, come on! I wonder if Bert is still around"_

_"Who is Bert?"_

_"He's the night security guard, although I fear something may have happened as you lot managed to get in un detected, and he's usually very thorough with security breaches"_ Carmel looked worried then and Darren held a hand to her shoulder

_"Don't worry, we will help find him yeah?"_ Darren replied as Carmel smiled and nodded.

They made it to the security office and as Carmel had feared Bert had disappeared, there was a half eaten sandwich at his desk and they wondered if he had left in a hurry seeing something on camera. There was at least thirty monitors that spanned the room, most of them in night vision mode as no lights had been switched on in some areas, the front door and surrounding area had had a light trip out when Brendan Ste and the others had first wandered in and a warning light flashed continuously on the panel for that area of the museum.

_"The computer thinks theirs been a fire"_ Carmel pointed out to the others. _"That's why the red light is flashing, but..._

_"But?"_

_"Well, it's odd because that is linked to the fire and Police station, yet no one came to investigate?"_

They all glanced at each other in confusion _"Hey,that is odd,do you think the warning system is down then?"_

_"No,because the light shows the computer sensed it,that triggers an alarm"_ Carmel looked at the monitors and pointed a shaky finger at one of the screens _"Guys...what the hell is that?!"_

One one of the areas a figure of a man moved limping through the area,wielding a big sharp knife in it's hand. Dennis' eyes widened looking at it,_ "Can we zoom in on that?"  
_  
Carmel nodded and turned a handle clockwise as the camera slowly homed in on the figure moving. The closer it got though the figure turned to stop and looked up at the camera.

They gasped jumping backwards as the face twisted in darkness and large razor teeth grinned at them, moving again in a different direction it walked off camera.

_"What the fuck was that?! And where has it gone?"_

Carmel's hands shook uncontrollably as she fumbled with the handle, zooming out and pivoting the camera, they all looked intensely searching when an eye appeared directly into the camera and had them falling back screaming like banshees and holding onto each other for dear life.

_"JESUS! Wait, it's gone again!"_

Carmel shuddered _"I hope it doesn't know where we are" _The room suddenly felt an icy chill with the silence that littered the space around them.

Darren shook and whimpered _"How will it **know**?"_

_"It won't, don't worry"_ Dennis tried to calm him down and moved to the monitors again, looking around for their friends. _"Hey!It's Brendan, look he's trapped in that room!"_

Carmel got off the floor and dusted herself down looking at the room in question. _"That's the curator's office! Patrick's the curator"_ She spoke looking back at them. There was a flash of light in the room with Brendan and they gasped again.

_"There's something in the room with him" _Carmel thumbed over the flicker of light which resembled an orb floating in front of Brendan. _"That's amazing footage,it's supernatural isn't it?"_

_"Flashes of light kind of follow us around, and to be fair, Brendan looks happy enough about it"_ Dennis assessed _"It'll be a friendly ghost no doubt"_

_"What like Casper? There are no friendly ghosts, trust me theirs evil been leashed into this museum"_

_"We encountered different ones at the house so..."_

_"You've been at the forgotten house..."_

Dennis glanced back at her watching Brendan talk with an eerie ball of light,he fingered over the monitor lightly_ "Yeah why?"_

_"You might have a trace on you, residual energy, it's followed you lot here, this Ste you know, he's the key I think,to all the happenings" _

_"Great Brendan wont be happy, they're married you see. And it's bad enough when they're separated; I don't think Ste being a key will help matters"_

_"Hey, It's Bert! He's helping Brendan out of the room, look"_ Carmel smiled seeing her colleague pointing to the screen._ "He'll be safe now, you watch"_

Darren shoved them out of the way quickly pointing at one of the screens,it showed a stairwell,and the figure they'd seen moments earlier was dragging its twisted ankle up the stairs. The light on the stairwell kept flicking on and off in annoyance and hindered their visibility. Darren looked back at Carmel in desperation,practically pleading her to tell him it wasn't the stairs they'd used to get to the second floor they were on right now.

Carmel did no such thing instead moving backwards and curling herself up tightly at the wall on the opposite side of the room she looked at them with watering eyes. _"It found us"_

* * *

_Knock Knock_

_"Err excuse me? Anyone in there?"_ Brendan heard a gruff voice speak to him through the door,he moved up quickly and span around looking at the door. Brendan had jumped in surprise,the girl spirit had been right,he regained his composure and lifted back up to his feet in anticipation._ "Yes! I am in here!"_

_"Who?"_

_"Me, that's who!"_

_"God we got another one here" _Brendan heard the man sigh a long drawn out breath_ "Right my name is Bert...and you are..."_

_"Brendan, Brendan, sorry. _His fingers pinched the top of his nose,feeling agitated to the point of screaming blue murder_ "Look can you please open the door?"_

_"Yes I have keys for every door in this building hang on" _The sound of hundreds of jangling keys and metal rattled through the quiet between the door,Bert fidgeted a little trying to find the right key,and Brendan feared his stay in the room could be a longer one than he hoped.

_"Wait, it's been locked from the outside? But how, none of us work here..."_ Brendan scrunched his face up puzzled then moved back as he heard the lock click and door open. A cheery faced man popped his head around the door and smiled.

_"There you go, now I've freed you, how's about you explain why you are in my museum in the middle of the night?"_

_"Umm, would ye believe me if I said it's a sleepover...no didn't think so."_ Brendan snaked his arm around the shorter man's neck and walked them back out of the room _"I hope ye like a good ghost story"_ he began.

By the time they'd made it back out into the main area of the museum Brendan had told Bert everything, and was surprised to see he actually believed his ramblings.

_"So, you need to find your boyfriend..._

_"Husband actually"_

_"Right, sorry husband Ste? Because if you don't he'll be possessed again by an evil spirit that was meant to have been trapped?"_ Bert took off his security hat and scratched his head a moment, before replacing it and grabbing his night stick firmly in his hands.

_"Let's go kick some ghost ass, it's so dull working in here, Christ I've been waiting years to get my teeth into something juicy for a change"_

Brendan smiled then and nodded in reply making their way up the corridors in the hope they'd find Ste in time.

* * *

_"Brendan?"_ Ste woke up and held the back of his head flinching in pain _"Ow, my head kills...Bren?"_

_"Shut up will you, he's not here"_ Simon replied in a low tired voice and Ste remembered and got angry.

_"You hit me, who the hell do you think you are huh? First you shoot me then lamp me over the back of the head, are you a psycho for the sake of it, or is it an illness you were born with?"_ Ste gripped his hands tight into balls

_"Very witty, I saved your life, where's the bloody gratitude"_

_"No, you took me away from my husband, how dare you, I told you I wasn't going to leave him!"_

_"Its out there you realise? That black thing? It will hear you now shush!"_

_"Wimp, Its been in me twice an you don't see me panicking" _Ste took a moment to take in his surroundings,they were in a toilet cubical,and there wasn't much room to swing a cat about let alone harbour them.

_"Yeah, why is that huh? Seems pretty odd to me you wouldn't be scared of it" _Simon looked into Ste's eyes then,and even he had to admit it was very weird he did feel comfortable with it. He couldn't come up with a valid reply to that,instead focussing on what was important._"Enough,take me to Brendan"_

_"He is safe! I locked him in the room"_

Ste was getting angry and claustrophobic_ "Oh you locked him in! You...I want to see my husband!"_

_"I will gag you if I have too"_

_"Yeah? I'd love to see you try! And why are we in a toilet cubical?"_

_"Hiding!"_

_"Screw this, you're a pussy!"_ Ste opened the cubical door before Simon could stop him and ventured out into the main bathroom area. There was a wall of mirrors with wash basins underneath it. Ste walked over and looked at himself in the mirror then at the light above him that flickered an SOS message in its attempts to switch itself on. Ste sighed heavy,he couldn't believe Brendan was going to wake up thinking he'd left him. Leaning down into the sink he splashed himself with the warm water he'd filled it with. It helped him to focus as it woke him up from his lethargic state.

_"Ste...Ste!"_ Simon was shouting a whisper at him Ste turned his head to the left to look at him, eyes boring into Simon's fear soaked widened ones. Ste knew then what he'd be facing as soon as he looked up in the mirror. There was nothing he could do but lift his head up and see the malignant spirit floating behind him, and the powerful screech it omitted rattled the tiles in the room. Ste's blood ran cold shivers pulsed through his body. He closed his eyes and thought of Brendan he whispered 'I love you' as the spirit moved at speed entering his body and making him drop to the floor convulsing.

Simon watched on in fear having no idea what the hell he could do to help, he sat and waited watched as Ste's body shook and writhed, black veins moved through the parts of his exposed skin in anger before his normal skin colour resumed and Ste sighed opening his eyes. He turned quickly to gaze at Simon, eyelids heavy his heart beat fast and his breathing hitched.

_"Ste...?"_ Simon barely spoke his voice wavered _"What does it feel like?"_

_"Cold"_ Ste answered _"You took me away from Brendan, why?"_

_"I wanted to get you to safety, Brendan was too heavy to carry, you are lighter, so I knew we'd have a chance"_ Simon tried to explain watching over Ste contently.

_"LIAR! You like me don't ya? You...want me?"_ Ste grinned and rolled his head closing his eyes feeling the black spirit trying to take control_ "I have to fight it"_ Ste panted

_"What can I do?"_ Simon asked moving closer to Ste _"I could help?"_

_"You've done enough, I need to find Brendan before I do something stupid"_ Ste moved his arms out at Simon pushing him away, the touch of him made him warmer than he liked. He was like a drug to him, he needed to get away.

_"Like what?"_ Simon had moved closer to Ste and moved his hand over his chest, stroked his palm over him.

_"Don't..."_ Ste whimpered and moved backwards _"I love him,not you"_

_"Yeah, I believe you, but I think you're tempted now, that thing makes you feel different?"_

Ste nodded and squeezed his eyes tighter he needed to fight and moved up to his legs, resting his hands at the sinks he looked up into the mirror and watched his eyes redden and black liquid fill his face, gasping he ran to the door, pulled and pulled on it to open but it wouldn't. Simon had moved again and was pressed close up against his body, breath moving down his neck and Ste quivered turning his face to look up at Simon. Their lips ghosted together. _"Please don't"_ Ste begged Simon, wanted him to move, get away from him because he couldn't, his feet anchored to the floor with a force he couldn't fight.

A bang at the door jolted them apart, and the door opened as Ste fell over with it having been squashed between it and Simon's body. Brendan caught him and Bert moved to grab hold of Simon around the neck with a heavy shove he was up against the wall.

Brendan gasped looking at Ste limp in his arms _"Steven? What's he done to ye?"_  
Ste moved his face up and Brendan saw the eyes and his colour and knew he'd been too late; and the spirit had already got him.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for all comment's and reviews for this story. xx  
A quicker update as requested.

* * *

Darkness Within

Chapter 5

_"Get off me!"_ Ste seethed clawing at Brendan's arms as he cried in pain. Brendan loosed his grip momentarily before holding Ste up by his forearms and looking into his inhuman eyes.

_"Steven, no"_ Brendan felt his heart ache and his eyes filling with tears, he was exhausted, this all had been a bad idea. Ste's grip on him softened and his body fell limp. _"Brendan?"_

_"Hey baby, I am here"_ Brendan lifted Ste's face to look at him.

_"I never left you, it was that stupid cop, and he hit me over the head! He's crazy, I don't care if he saved your life"_ Ste moved up to his feet a little swaying and held onto his head a moment, then he remembered, he felt it inside him the black spirit trying to overtake his mind.

It fed him all sorts of thoughts, bad thoughts, one's he'd never think about in normal circumstances. He glanced up at Brendan who looked so tired and pale he was worried about him, his softer caring side wanted to take him in his arms and take the pain away,but the darker entity wanted to hurt Brendan in the worst possible way.

Ste shuddered and looked back at Simon who was now arguing with a security guard, a man Ste didn't know. His feelings changed looking at Walker and his whole time loving Brendan he'd never had these thoughts about another man. He hated himself for it and the darkness within fed off his negative thoughts like nectar. Made it powerful, more able to control. He was stirred from his thoughts by Brendan's arms curling around his waist, usually his touch made everything better, now however it felt wrong, but how could it?

_"Leave me Brendan, I cannot bare you touching me"_ Ste choked on his voice, he wanted to be sick right then and there, because how could he survive feeling this way about the man he loves more than life itself.

_"Steven? Why would ye say such a thing?"_ Brendan shifted back, the words like a knife through his heart.

_"It's not...it's not you"_ Ste whispered, maybe if he did he wouldn't have to hear himself spout the worst words. "It's the spirit Bren, it's changing me" Ste felt a tear fall down his cheek and Brendan thumbed it off gently making his body spark with heat.

_"I won't give up on ye Steven, I know the truth, I know how ye feel really"_ Brendan stroked down Ste's face lifting it up to look at him, Brendan moved closer to his lips _"I know ye can hear me...and I will give my life to make sure ye never hurt another living soul"_ His eyes met Steven's, they weren't his usual blue any more they'd a slight red twinge to them now, but as Brendan looked deeper he could still see Steven's fear behind them, fighting to come back to him.

Ste launched himself at Brendan and kissed him deeply held on and shook uncontrollably parting and holding on to his body as if he was twisted in agony._ "It hurts Bren, it knows you are my weakness, I am scared for you"_ his arms tightened around his stomach and he fell to his knees in a heap. Brendan was there with him, determined.

_"Steven, don't give up, I will be here promise, I wont leave ye, no matter what happens, OK?" _Brendan saw Bert and Simon being dragged behind him. For a small man this security guard was a tough cookie. Brendan placed his hand on Ste's head as he now stood up, he wanted any kind of contact he could with his husband.

_"Simon, we need to have words, I forgot to mention Steven was my husband?"_

Simon looked up and scoffed _"Husband? Then why did your Husband try it on with me in the bathroom, huh?"_ Ste screamed at the top of his voice then, Simon's poison crept through his pores.

_"It's not true! Brendan don't believe him, he made a pass at me!"_ Ste pleaded for Brendan to listen and he needn't have done even that, Brendan was moving like wind over to Simon and punching him in the face. Blood splattered over his fist and across Bert's blue uniform as his lip slit in two. Simon spat the blood that had formed in his mouth and grinned reddening teeth at him.

_"You are so fucking blind to him eh? We'll see, he will show his true colours and then things will change"_ Simon smirked then looked at Bert. _"Look mate I get you are a top notch security guard, but can you let me go now?"_

_"Why should I let you go?"_ Bert stood tall even if his frame was significantly smaller than everyone around him, he was fearless.

_"This is why"_ Simon flashed his police badge licking his lips and then catching Ste's gaze. He winked and Ste shivered. Brendan noticing their exchanges felt his stomach jolt and thought he would throw up at any moment. He never signed up for this, he never signed up for loosing his husband. Brendan moved over to Ste again and helped him stand up.

_"So...nothing happened?"_ Brendan spoke through gritted teeth and Ste rolled his head and closed his eyes. _"This is what it wants Brendan! Stop it, please, know I love you, just remember our vows"_

_"Yeah well maybe ye should remember them, instead of looking at him with those new eyes of yours"_ Brendan spat back in a malicious tone feeling betrayed and Ste sighed and moved to stand against the wall.

_"Come here Bren, come and hold me against this wall"_ Brendan moved quickly and held his hands against Ste's chest. _"Now kiss me, I mean really kiss me"_

Brendan did as he was asked and took his mouth to Ste's like it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever tasted, swiped his tongue deeper and deeper and then he heard the cries, the cries coming from Ste as he doubled over in pain, but still he continued to Kiss Brendan, cradled his hands around his neck and pushed love into their kiss, despite the fact he was being beaten from the inside out, so much pain that Brendan had tears rolling down his face watching his husband curl over and fall to the floor again.

_"Steven, Steven I am sorry, I am sorry"_ Ste swallowed as the pain died away and cupped his face. _"I needed to show you, I love you more than anything"_ Ste gasped again_ "It just knows you're it's threat, so punishes me for it, and why it makes me feel attracted to Simon"_

Brendan looked up at Ste quickly _"What? Ye like him? You WANT him?"_

_"I can't help it! If you do this, it wins, don't let it change me Bren, please"_ he watched as Brendan shook his head, he watched over his face seeing his heart breaking as much as his own.

_"Sorry to interrupt, can I get this clear? The spirit is now in you, and it's stopping you from loving your husband, and making you attracted to him?"_ Bert looked like the cogs were working overtime in his brain, slowly piecing the puzzle together. _"Wow, that ghost has no taste then, I'd have been all over your hubby"_ Bert spoke and then bit his tongue.

_"You fancy me,oh it get's better and better this place does"_ Brendan asked in a rather high pitched voice and looked back at Ste who was actually sniggering.

Bert nodded _"Yup, I was gutted when ya said you was married, typical really. Bert Alan, always a bridesmaid, never a bride"_

Simon walked up and planted himself into the surreal conversation that was going on around him. _"Seriously? This is what we're talking about?"_

There was a brilliant light all of a sudden that surrounded them and a whistling noise that followed, Simon knew instantly what the noise meant, grabbing Bert by his collar he jumped with him to shield over Brendan and Ste as a back draft of fire licked up over the ceiling and caused a massive explosion that ripped through the area they were stood in. The ceiling collapsed in on them burying them alive under a pile of rubble.

* * *

_"What are we gonna do?"_ Carmel asked looking at the moving figure slowly making it's way up the stairs. She noticed the blade it carried and how each time the light flicked on it would shine. It moved each time the man dragged it's closed hand up onto the banister to help itself further walked over to the monitor again watching it, it stopped again, slowly stretching it's neck backwards and again looked directly at her, the teeth in its mouth were razor sharp.

Dennis stood next to her and looked at it watching them, could it actually see them, or did it just feel it was being watched somehow. Dennis processed his thoughts and couldn't come up with a plausible answer. _"Carmel, do you know that man?"_

_"What? Of course I don't! Besides I doubt it's human, look at it!"_  
_"It's just that, every time you have been watching it, the thing looks at you"_ Dennis replied feeling she knew more than she was letting on.

_"Looks at me? It can't see me Dennis, it's a camera not window"_ Carmel huffed in disbelief and scowled at the figure who turned to make it's journey again.

_"Let's get out of here, if we stay it will get us!"_ Darren grabbed hold of both their arms. _"Please, I don't wanna be hacked to death, I am still young!"_

A bright flash on another monitor stopped their debate and they watched a fire break out in one of the areas of the museum. Another red light begins to blink under the screen and trips the alarm.

_"See, I told you it trips an alarm, the fire brigade will arrive soon"_ Carmel sighed _"Maybe they can help us eh?"_

_"Err how? The museum is haunted! A fire is a walk in the bloody park compared to this"_ Darren cried looking over at Dennis smiling and nodding in agreement.

_"Carmel!"_ Dennis suddenly cried out _"Where are the other boxes, the trinket ones that held all the spirits?"_

_"In the basement, why?"_

_"Look guys, none of this situation is normal, and thinking outside of the box is our only way of getting out of this"_ Dennis sighed looking at Carmel and Darren's blank expressions, why in these situations did he have to be surrounded by gormless faces.  
_"We need to trap them back into the boxes..."_

_"OH!"_

_"And there it is, the penny finally drops"_ Dennis _'hurrays' _and does a little jig and then he's being grabbed by the scruff of the neck and a sharp knife burns tearing into his skin. It hurts him, the pain sears through his nerves and makes his eyes widen watching Darren obviously screaming but he can't hear anything except distortion. It's weird, and Dennis feels like he's floating inside of a bubble now, full of water as it sloshes at his ears. Then as he falls backwards he sees the razor sharp teeth smile in greeting at him.

Darren rushes at him even though the knife sticks out in it's out stretched arm, like some sort of chivalrous act. He can't help Dennis right now, even though he wants too more than anything, cradle his friend in his arms and somehow heal his wound. He can't though, so his focus is to protect Carmel. He grabs a chair, and he thanks god it's a swivel one, as the metal legs and wheels on it propel the knife quickly out of its hand. The blade danced across the floor as the metal clang of it deafened them in a deathly silent struggle.

Darren went to grab it but so did the figure and it was quicker more nimble considering it was already injured. And that's when Darren got the upper hand, grabbing the chair and crashing it down on the mangled ankle, the thing made a terrible screech noise, and it dropped to its knees. Darren grabbed the chair again and swung it hard against it's face knocking it out with the metal coasters.

_"Thank...thank you Darren"_ Carmel spoke trembling and held her hands around his neck, them both looking at the thing lying on the floor. It wasn't moving and they had no clue if it was even still alive or not. They didn't care and Darren lifted Carmel off him and strode over the body and went to look at Dennis. He was still and blood was seeping out of his back in a bad way. Darren moved and lifted him up turning his palm to face him he was covered in his sticky blood. He was so scared for his friend. Looking back at Carmel he opened his mouth and could find no words.

_"It's OK Darren, we need to seal the cut, I will get the first aid kit, just try and keep him warm yeah?"_

_"Hurry, please, he's my best mate"_ Darren sniffed and wiped his nose with his other hand. Carmel made her way back with bandages and plasters, between them they cleaned the knife wound and placed a plaster over it, winding bandages around his chest and back for extra hold. Once he was cleaned they could see the knife had entered below his shoulder blade.

_"What are we doing with that?"_ Carmel asked pointing to the figure who still hadn't moved.

_"Rubbish Chute "_ Darren asked looking at Carmel in the hope the building had one; it didn't though, so they had to think of something else.

_"Broom cupboard"_ They said in unison and got to their feet, dragging the body to the room made for cleaning grabbed some of the bottles marked corrosive just in case they might need a weapon of sorts, it would melt and burn the thing if nothing else. He grabbed a broom and a mop for their wooden handles too, leaning them up against the wall.

They dragged the body into the room slumping it down on the lino covered floor and began to walk away. As Carmel left she suddenly felt a hand grip around her ankle tightly the scream she made vibrated around the tiny room and made Darren's hair stand up on end. _"It's got me! Help Darren, Help!"_

Darren turned around quickly and stomped his foot on the wrist over and over until it had loosened its grip. Rushing out they slammed the door shut locking it with a key._"You know it won't hold him for long don't you?"_ Darren spoke shaking with the adrenaline overdose.

_"I know, come on. Let's get Dennis out of here"_

_"The CCTV room though, it was a perfect place to see everyone?"_ Darren sighed in anger looking back at the cupboard.

_"I know, but I think we should move now, and besides, we can have a look at the monitors first, see where everyone is and head that way?"_

Darren nodded in agreement walking back with Carmel into the room where Dennis lay, his skin was pale and clammy to touch. Carmel stayed curled up on the floor next to him while Darren looked over the monitors.

_"Hey, one of the rooms has collapsed!"_ Carmel gasped and moved to look where it was.

_"It's the place we saw Brendan and Bert walking too, oh my god, what if they're under all that?"_  
Darren pointed to the screen _"What's that sparking?Electricity, right? So there's a stray pipe that's hanging down?"_

Carmel nodded and hummed in agreement _"Yeah, looks that way, come through the ceiling, there's toilets in that area too"_

"What the hell is going on here?"

Carmel and Darren gasped and spun around so fast they almost got whip lash. _"Oh my god! Patrick!"  
_

* * *

The fire had knocked them all off their feet and they'd landed in a heap on the floor. Cheryl held her head and lifted herself up of the floor, looking down at her fire extinguisher.

_"A fat lot of good you are!"_ Cheryl looked at the extinguisher as though expecting a reply from it.

_"Well maybe if you used the nozzle!"_ Jim spoke getting up and cracking his back with it, he groaned with the pleasure.

_"Oh haw haw, funny man"_

_"Stop bickering!"_ Nate moved up to his feet noting his arm had severed again and was bleeding badly. He looked up at Jim's torn shirt and smiled.

_"Jeez you won't be satisfied till I've no shirt left!"_ Jim tore off another strip tightening it on Nate's arm as he hissed _"Sorry, this should hold off the bleeding"_

_"We need to go check if anyone was through there"_ Nate pointed through to where the building had collapsed through. "Just in case, and we can try and help"

Jim nodded and began to walk back that way _"Best be careful though, that flashing light up ahead looks like electricity"_

_"So I best not use my extinguisher then?"_ Cheryl paused and looked at them

_"Do you love that thing? Bring it if you want, it might come in handy"_ Jim replied shrugging.

They made their way through the rubble shouting and calling out in case there was anyone underneath the concrete. Nate held Cheryl's and and helped her the heels she was wearing didn't make things easy though, and by the time they'd found some flat space they'd been ruined.

_"Hello?"_ Jim cried _"Please, if anyone is there?"_

A small sound could be heard over by the wall and Jim shushed Nate and Cheryl so he could listen properly. As he made his way over he saw some fingers moving poked out from under the bits of rock and plasterboard. He called for the others to help and they removed the rubble. Fingers soon became a hand and an arm and eventually they discovered Walker. They had no idea who this man was, he was a little disorientated so they grabbed him up and settled him on a large piece of concrete.

_"Thank you, you saved my life"_

_"Is there anyone else with you?"_

Walker shook his head and glanced to the side _"Um, no I'm alone, erm what's back this way?"_ Walker stood up, his face was a mess, congealed dries up blood covered his face, and he was swollen and looked like he'd been through the mill.

_"I was walking through here, alone when the building collapsed, can you help me find a bathroom?"_  
The others had no reason not to believe the stranger and taking a last look back they moved out of the area with Walker.

Behind them there was a muffled cry under the rubble, none of them had heard it, except Walker who chose to ignore and move along with the others smiling.


	6. Chapter 6

*Thank you for your lovely comments and reviews for this story and a big hello to my new followers*

* * *

Darkness Within

Chapter 6

Patrick stood there looking at the chaos surrounding him; a man he didn't know was laid out on the floor in a pool of blood. His colleague was there wide eyed and dishevelled and next to another person he didn't know. It screamed out suspicious but he didn't want to believe his friend could be capable of anything so sinister. After the situation he found himself in recently he'd believe pretty much anything now.

_"What happened Carmel?"_

_"It was this thing...it attacked Dennis!"_

_"What thing, and who is Dennis? In fact why the hell is loads of strangers in the museum at all?!"_

_"We have it trapped"_ Darren walked over to Patrick's and shook his hand in greeting. _"I am Darren, that lying on the floor injured is Dennis, we are from a company who deals with parapsychology and the supernatural"_

_"Right, that's understandable then considering we have one heck of a haunting here!" _Patrick shuddered remembering how the entity had felt being inside his body, and the evil thoughts and images it had showed to him. A bead of sweat formed over his brow as he used his sleeve to wipe it off more pooled there.

Carmel started to walk backwards slowly as fear rose in her heart _"Patrick is it...is it still in you?"_

_"No, its not, it's gone, although I fear it now has someone else"_

_"Ste? Has it got Ste?!" _Darren rushed to Patrick's side and grabbed hold of the lapels of his shirt jacket and tugged dramatically on it shaking Patrick enough to make his eyes spin in their sockets.

_"Wait!" _Patrick moved Darren to one side and asked him to calm down_ " Ste I met him earlier in my office, that's who the spirit wants"_

_"Well durr! What happened?"_

Carmel moved between them and placed her hands on their chests to break up the conversation_ "Guys, I really think we should make a move here, remember the thing in the cupboard?"_

_"Shit, yeah and we need to get Dennis out of here too"_

There was a loud bang outside the room, breaking wood and metal smashed around and clattered on the floor and Carmel and Darren knew before they had even looked what had happened, it had escaped. Darren's eyes widened as he grabbed hold of the broom and mop handle from earlier giving one to Carmel. He passed the chemicals to Patrick who travelled his eyes to where the others were looking and prepared himself for what was to come next.

_"Wait, shouldn't we move Dennis?"_ Carmel whispered as she leaned into Darren's ear.

Darren nodded and looked up at Patrick, he was of a good build and he'd be able to help move and carry Dennis no problem.

_"Will you give me a hand to move my friend please?"_ Darren asked giving the stick of wood to Carmel and walking over to Dennis. He'd walked through the blood and was making deep red footprints all over the floor. He winced at the sight of his friend's blood and resisted the urge to be sick.

Patrick agreed and grabbed hold of Dennis's legs and helped carry him over to the other side of the room. They laid him back against the wall but he just slid down it and slumped into himself. Darren quickly checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive. The faint but present beat was there and he sighed with relief.

Relief that was short lived when he heard Carmel scream blue murder. That shook him from his thoughts immediately and was up on his feet stick in hand before the thing had got a foot in the room. It didn't have it's knife now, and just stared at them all with evil eyes. The room seemed to form a frightening chill that coursed through their bodies, they didn't know what to expect. The figure held its hand out and grinned at them. A loud scraping noise cut through the silent tension in the room. The metal sound was high pitch and had them squirming.

_"What is that?"_ Patrick asked feeling unnerved and looking at Darren like he had all the answers.

_"Sounds like a..."_

_"KNIFE!"_ Carmel pointed shaking to the knife that slid across the floor and through Dennis's blood pool on the ground. The metal knife levitated up and the thing grabbed hold of it tightly holding on and smiling wider than ever before.

_"OK, HOW?!"_ Carmel asked grabbing hold of Patrick _"How did it do that?"_

_"I haven't the faintest idea, one thing I will say, we need to kill this thing,or else it will continue to come after us"_ Darren spoke assuredly to the others who just had fear in there eyes. They'd never killed anyone before. Neither had Darren.

The figures' smile dropped and anger took over, it was exposing it's teeth and snarling at them, had it heard? The next thing they saw was the knife again, hurling through the air at Darren who quickly moved out of the way and turned to watch the knife crash through a monitor and blow it up, yellow sparks flew all around them, burning their faces with it. Darren winced and gasped as every monitor switched off in the room. They were now blind to what was happening in the museum again.

Darren lunged at it smacking down the stick hard across it's face, it's face twisted with the blow but it smiled in defiance at him, grinning in amusement. Patrick looked at the chemicals in his hand and shrugged his shoulders, it was worth a try, anything would be right now. It took him a while to unscrew the cap off it, child safe lid meant the battle between good and evil was taking a lot longer than it should do. The others were dealing constant whacks to their attacker and looking back at Patrick with the chemicals between his thighs trying to unscrew the bottle.

Their was a low screeching noise outside of the room, and Darren froze, knowing what made that deep shrill noise. _"Shit we need to get out of here!"_

_"How though? We have a great big bloody monster in front of us"_

_"The window, we can smash it and climb out?" _Carmelcried pointing to a large curtain that one moved revealed a large window looking into the canteen. Darren looked at it in surprise. It was a strange place to have a window, he guessed it wasn't that odd compared to their situation though.

_"Wow, wish I'd known about this, we might have seen him coming eh?"_

_"And that would have made a difference how?"_

_"Erm! Some help here?!"_ Patrick had dropped the stupid chemicals now and grabbed the broom handle then preceding to bring down their new nemesis, when he saw the black apparitions creeping up towards them over the ceiling. He froze and backed into the room further till he pushed up onto the desk of buttons for the monitors.

_"Not again!"_ Patrick cried

_"Quick pass me the chair!"_ Darren grabbed it off Carmel and smacked it hard against the window with the coaster legs, it cracked at first creating an outward waved ripple of a jigsaw. The next blow did it, smashing the glass into a thousand pieces. The shards spanned out into the air and sprinkled over the floor.

_"Grab Dennis, come on Patrick!"_ Patrick dropped the stick and rushed to help Darren. Carmel had torn down the thick curtain and draped it over the wood panel and climbed out looking to her side she watched the apparitions move towards the thing that had moments earlier been attacking them.  
Darren climbed out next and Patrick helped Dennis through. The shrieks from the black spirits suddenly got louder and the figure was moaning.

Darren held onto Dennis and watched as the figure began to turn white and cover in a frosty substance. It tried to fight off the spirits but nothing would work. Patrick moved out of the room and widened his eyes in fear, before helping Darren place Dennis' arm on each of their shoulders.  
They backed off slowly and quietly watching the figure turn to ice before their eyes. When they'd rounded the corner they moved faster.

_"Up or down?"_ Darren cried as they came to an elevator

_"What?"_

_"Are we going up a floor or down a floor?!"_

_"Let's go up, we know a lot of the ground floor has collapsed, so let's get Dennis to safety and then we can make a decision."_

They all agreed and moved into the elevator as the shrill noises from the malignant spirits moved closer towards them, the elevator door closed as a fog like smoke moved in front of them. They all looked at each other and laughed, they were relieved they'd got away, and the weird figure was frozen stiff. They were half way between floors when the elevator jolted to a halt and they were plunged into darkness when the light blew above them showering the small space in hot pieces of the light bulb.

* * *

Walker had been leading them quickly from the shattered room behind them for a while without so much as a hello or even explanation to who he was or what he was doing there. Nate had a bad feeling about this new stranger; something didn't quite sit right with him. He seemed to be in far too much of a hurry to leave the area behind them, why was that? He decided to bite his tongue for now though, however they were going back to an area they'd explored already, and they needed to go the opposite way, Walker though, had other ideas.

_"So...Walker?" _Nate rushed into his steps to catch up with him lightly stroking his elbow

_"Yeah,or Simon,not fussed both my names"_ Walker glanced a little behing him as he walked quicker away.

_"What's the rush exactly?"_ Nate scrunched his nose up watching him practically run from the area.

_"What? No, nothing. There's no rush, just needed a bathroom"_ Walker gestured to his swollen face and where the blood had congealed. "Need to look my best" he laughed but the others didn't,just looked at each other.

_"Who are you?"_ Cheryl held the fire extinguisher in front of her "And who gave you those scars?"

Walker shrugged off his cuts waving his arms around _"Oh this, Oh there was a guy possessed by a ghost, he did this to me"_

_"What? Ste is possessed again?"_ Cheryl gasped and looked at Nate and Jim who were obviously worried; they'd not been in time if it had already got him.

_"No, it wasn't Ste that did this; it was another man...why are you all looking at me like that?"_ Walker had now stopped to catch some breath and preceded to laugh at them and their shocked and concerned faces.

Jim moved forward with Nate _"You know Ste then, you've seen him? Where is he?"_

Walker began to move away from them again, not wanting to get into this converse _"Oh...no we got separated"_

_"I thought you said you were all alone in here when you got trapped?"_ Jim raised his voice a little and moved towards Walker again trying to get answers, he looked back at Nate and Cheryl pointing back to the place they'd come from. They both nodded in agreement with him.

_"Did I? Oh I forgot, must be my old age huh?"_

_"We're going back, right now"_ Nate interjected, he knew something was wrong with this man  
_"And you're coming with us, you're going to help"_

Walker slowed again and pivoted on the heals of his shoes walking backwards and pointing towards Nate _"Erm, who put you in charge? I don't see a badge anywhere"_ Walker seethed into Nate's face when he'd reached within touching distance and Cheryl grabbed him back towards her _"This however says I am in charge" _Walker flashed his police badge.

Jim moved and grabbed Walker who punched him in his stomach and held up his gun at them all. Cheryl screamed and Nate held onto her.

_"What the hell do you think you are doing?"_ Nate asked, angry at having a pistol waved in his face.

_"You will take me to my brother"_ Walker tilted his head _"He was last seen coming in here and I need to find him"_

_"Your brother? We have only seen our group, no other people"_ Jim coughed and regained his breath holding onto his stomach. _"Who is your brother?"_

_"He's...never mind what he is, I just have to find him!"_

Cheryl looked at Nate with widened eyes and then glanced down at the extinguisher. She decided now might be a good time as any. As Walker was getting more agitated she pulled out the pin and grabbed the nozzle, the foam flew out of it at a quick rate covering Walker in it all over his face, gun eyes,, she even managed to hit his crotch. Cheryl smirked and then Nate grabbed her arm turning the nozzle right at Jim, he too got a good foaming in the mush.

_"Nate!"_

_"Just...just COME ON!"_ Nate grabbed Cheryl and Jim by the arms and ran back the way they had come, behind them Walker was moaning about having foam in his eyes and calling Cheryl a stupid bitch. He tried in vain to wipe it from his eyes but he was just rubbing more in. He took off his jacket and used the inside of it to clear his sight. It was still blurry but he knew the others had now left him alone.

_"I WILL FIND YOU!...twats"_ Walker sighed brushing himself of the foam and looked around where he was. He carried on the way he hadn't been.

* * *

The black swirly thing was hovering above the rubble, it was frustrated. Ste was trapped and it'd felt Ste's life force draining from his body, after the building had crashed down. It had left him, couldn't survive in a dead body. It shrieked and wailed in anger moving from side to side to side, it needed a body. In the background there had been a faint noise, and voices the black spirit moved high into the ceiling, hiding within the shadows of the room watching and waiting.

Nate,Cheryl and Jim finally stopped running. They'd been glancing behind them but Walker hadn't been there,either he was a slow runner or he had just given up chasing. They hoped for the latter as they climbed over the rubble again, shining their torches around the room.

"_STE? STEEE"_ Cheryl cried, they had a feeling their new friend hadn't been telling the whole truth. And Ste was closer by than they'd previously known.

_"Come on Ste! Tell us where you are!"_

A faint cry stopped them in their tracks and Jim shone his torch to the area they'd rescued Walker and moved close to the noise. He told Cheryl and Nate to be quiet while he listened, but there was nothing.

_"Ste? We are here, but we need you to show us where you are"_ Jim said looking in every direction around him.

Another noise pinpointed Jim to the right place as he got Cheryl and Nate to help, removing the rubble. They uncovered a man they didn't know, wearing a blue uniform. He was breathing and covered in with dust from the plasterboard.

_"Hi, my Name is Jim, can you hear me?"_

Bert nodded slowly and let them help him to his feet, he coughed and spluttered and his body ached. Bert widened his eyes and grabbed Jim tightly not able to speak.

_"What? Is it Ste? Is Ste under here?"_

Bert nodded _"And Brendan"_ He whispered coughing hard again.

The others glanced at each other and set to work removing more and more rubble and plasterboard. It was a strenuous task but they didn't give up eventually finding Brendan, his suit was white with all the dust, Nate and Jim carefully lifted him up and out and laid him on the floor, he was still breathing and Nate left Cheryl to rouse him while they looked for Ste. They didn't have to search at all because he had been underneath Brendan who had instantly shielded him from the blast.

Ste murmured when the others grabbed him out and he instantly asked for Brendan,Cheryl looked over at a very shaken Ste and sobbed looking up at him. Ste moved quickly and knelt by brendan and moved his face close.

_"Hey you,wakey wakey"_ Ste spoke and kissed Brendan on the lips then sat up and gasped _"It's gone!"_

_"What's gone?" _

_"The bloody swirly thing! It was in me again, but I can't feel it anymore!"_

Jim laughed with relief_ "That's brilliant! Can we now get out of here?"_

_"Nope,we gotta trap it again!"_ Ste cried shaking Brendan's cheek,he finally started to wake and looked up at Ste through clouded eyes.  
_"Steven?"_

_"Yep it's me"_ Ste moved down for another kiss and another until he was peppering them at a quick rate making Brendan chuckle.

_"Ste...Steven, I though you didn't like kissing me anymore?"_ Brendan winked and Ste got close to his ear and purred _"I ADORE kissing you" _Ste confessed "_It's gone, the black spirit, its not inside me anymore" _Ste winked back at Brendan licking his lips gazing intently into his husband's eyes

Brendan sat up and grabbed the back of Ste's neck pulling them in to a deepened kiss wrapping their tongues together, they hummed into each others inviting mouth's as Brendan brought Ste on top of him and tilted his face for further contact. The others stood by mouths wide. Cheryl broke their silence first _"That's nothing, you should see them in normal surroundings, that's like a peck on the cheek in comparison!"_

_"Right then now what?"_ Cheryl added shrugging her shoulders and looking around.

_"We need to find Darren and Dennis next, and then we need to find the golden box"_ Ste had untangled himself breathless from Brendan's hold for a couple of seconds to answer before going in for more kisses leaving the others laughing at them.

_"Bloody insatiable, OI there are people present!"_ Bert warned waving his nightstick at them as a joke.

_"Oh that never stops them, ya wasting your time"_ Nate replied walking into the flat of the room. _"Seriously though guys, you need to put each other down, we have a mission remember"_

_"Sounds like you're enjoying this"_ Cheryl sniggered

Bert and Jim joined them and waited for Brendan and Ste with hands on their hips,it would be morning again at this rate.

Brendan stroked down Ste's face and smiled _"I missed ye, I'm glad to see the blue eyes again"_

_"Well, don't hold your breath just yet Bren, it's still in here, I can sense it, but it's odd, I think it's waiting for something"_

_"How do ye mean?"_ Brendan sat up again and snaked his arms tightly around Ste's shoulders.

_"When the room exploded I felt it panic but I fell asleep, when I woke I saw Nate and Jim helping me up and then it was gone" Ste thought for a while "What made it panic?"_

Jim walked over and sat down next to them on a large broken piece of concrete and pointed at them while he spoke. _"Could it have been it thought you were dying? Maybe...it can't survive in a injured or dying host?"_

_"Hmm, yeah could be, I did feel my lungs constricted as Brendan was on top of me"  
_  
_"Never complained before Steven"_ Brendan interrupted winking, the stares he got stopped him laughing and clearing his throat as he got back up onto his feet.

Ste shook his head _"If I can finish, then as the celling collapsed the extra weight shallowed my breathing"_

_"Then the swirly thing..."_ Jim gestured to Ste _"Thought you were dying and left"  
_  
They nodded in agreement and Ste gripped Brendan's hand and limped off the rubble. They moved in a new direction, the light from their torches showing the amount of celling that had collapsed and the lines of dust it had created in the air around them. Nate having noticed an elevator the group decided that a new floor might help them out. The black spirit had watched on and moved silently across the celling looking at Ste, realising he was very much alive and well,it waited until they'd come to a stand still at the elevator doors and moved closer and closer to Ste.

It was only when they'd reached the elevator door when Cheryl realised and screeched. _"The golden box! I have it!"_ Cheryl rummaged in her bag as the swirly thing neared Ste's body,Ste gasped and looked up at Brendan with worried eyes. Brendan instantly knew what was wrong. _"Where is it Steven?"_

_"B...behind...it's behind me..."_ Ste sobbed and whimpered as he closed his eyes and squeezed Brendan's hand for dear life.

_"HERE!"_ Cheryl removed the box and held it aloft as a loud shrill scream echoed around the room and they all turned moving their limited light above them and gasped seeing the manigilant spirit floating inches from Ste. Brendan instantly pushed Ste behind him and held his arms protectively around his body.

_"Ye are not having him ye little fuck, see that box if ye don't move away from us we'll trap ye in it!"_

Jim tapped Brendan on the shoulder _"Ummm ain't we supposed to be doing that anyway?"_

Brendan turned to Jim with widened eyes and disbelief appeared over his face _"Jim, I'm improvising...bloody ghost floatin' in my face here!"_

Jim backed off with his arms held aloft and agreed _"Yes, yes you're right...continue"_

_"Jesus..."_ Brendan rubbed at the top of his nose the spirit moved closer until Cheryl screamed.

The spirit had gone, and Brendan looked puzzled looking around at everyone else. Then they looked back at Cheryl whose eyes had glazed over. Nate looked at her concerned _"Cheryl?"_

Cheryl was pulled backwards at a terrifying rate and thrown up the corridor at the side of them. Nate yelled and they all quickly ran after her. She landed in a heap on the floor still gripping a white knuckle hold of the box. _"Shit"_ She cried looking back at them _"I don't think it likes this box"  
_


End file.
